Partitive Articles and Indefinite Plurals

In brief

Italian partitive articles can mean “some” or “any” when you mean an unspecified amount of something or an unspecified number of things. They also provide a common way to express an indefinite plural, since Italian has no plural form of un or una.

Form

di + definite article: del, dello, dell’, della (singular); dei, degli, delle (plural). The form agrees with the noun’s gender and follows the same initial-sound patterns as the definite article.

Usage

• Use a singular partitive with an unspecified amount of a substance: dell’acqua (some water), del pane (some bread).
• Use a plural partitive for an unspecified number of countable things: dei pomodori (some tomatoes), delle sedie (some chairs).
• Choose the form from the Italian noun, not from the English word “some.”

Examples

• Ho comprato dei pomodori. — I bought some tomatoes.
• Ci sono delle sedie libere. — There are some free chairs.
• Vorrei dell’acqua, per favore. — I’d like some water, please.

Common mistake

❌ Ho comprato dei mele.

✅ Ho comprato delle mele.

Mele is feminine plural, so use delle rather than masculine dei. English “some” does not change for gender.

Remember

Match the partitive article to the Italian noun: dei pomodori, delle mele, dell’acqua.