Gender of Nouns: masculine and feminine

In Italian there are two genders: masculine and feminine; the masculine usually ends in -o, -e or -a, the feminine in -a or -e.

Common Nouns

l'uomo (= man); il bambino (= male child); il dottore (= doctor); l'ufficio (= office); il lavoro (= work); il toro (= bull); il gatto (= cat); il treno (= train); lo zucchero (= sugar).
la donna (= woman); la bambina (= female child); la dottoressa (= woman doctor); la casa (= house); la vacanza (= vacation); la mucca (= cow); la gatta (= female cat); la macchina (= car); l'aquila (= eagle).

Nouns of One Gender Only

These are nouns that are used only in the masculine or only in the feminine. It is important to notice that also names of things and animals in Italian are either masculine or feminine, never neutral, as in English.

Nouns Masculine Only

il tavolo = table
il vino = wine
l'amore = love
il paese = village
il fiume = river
il mare = sea
il papa = pope
l'aereo = airplane
lo squalo = shark

Nouns Feminine Only

la sedia = chair
l'acqua = water
la gelosia = jealousy
la città = city, town
la montagna = mountain
la terra = land, earth
la chiesa = church
la nave = ship
la tigre = tiger

Nouns with one form for both masculine and feminine

Only the article, and not always, reveals the gender. In the plural, however, there are two different forms. See also Plural rules

artist ⇒ l'artista, gli artisti -- l'artista, le artiste
colleague ⇒ il collega, i colleghi -- la collega, le colleghe
pianist ⇒ il pianista, i pianisti -- la pianista, le pianiste

Nouns with two forms - similar root

These nouns have one masculine form and another feminine, from a similar root.

child ⇒ il bambino, i bambini -- la bambina, le bambine
painter ⇒ il pittore, i pittori -- la pittrice, le pittrici
son ⇒ il figlio, i figli -- la figlia, le figlie
father in-law ⇒ il suocero, i suoceri -- la suocera, le suocere

Nouns with two forms - different root

These nouns have one masculine forms and another feminine, but from completely different roots. These are usually nouns indicating consanguineity or animals.

husband ⇒ il marito, i mariti -- la moglie, le mogli
brother ⇒ il fratello, i fratelli -- la sorella, le sorelle
father ⇒ il padre, i padri -- la madre, le madri
son in-law ⇒ il genero, i generi -- la nuora, le nuore
bull (ox) ⇒ il toro (bue), i tori (buoi) -- la mucca, le mucche
ram ⇒ il montone, i montoni -- la pecora, le pecore

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