Indefinite Articles

In brief

Italian has different ways to say ‘a’ or ‘an’. Choose the indefinite article to match the noun’s gender and the beginning of the word immediately after the article. Usually, that word is the noun.

Form

Masculine: un libro, but uno studente (s + consonant) and uno zaino (z). Feminine: una casa, but un’amica (before a vowel). Masculine words beginning with a vowel also take un, without an apostrophe: un amico.

Usage

• Use un with most masculine singular nouns, including those beginning with a vowel.
• Use uno before masculine singular nouns beginning with z or s followed by a consonant.
• Use una before feminine singular nouns beginning with a consonant, and un’ before a vowel.

Examples

• Ho un libro nuovo. — I have a new book.
• Uno studente aspetta l’autobus. — A student is waiting for the bus.
• Questa è una casa piccola. — This is a small house.
• Ho un’amica a Roma. — I have a friend in Rome.

Common mistake

❌ Ho un amica a Roma.

✅ Ho un’amica a Roma.

Before a feminine noun beginning with a vowel, una becomes un’ with an apostrophe. English ‘an’ does not signal this spelling rule.

Remember

Un amico has no apostrophe; un’amica does.