Demonstrative adjectives in Italian (this, that)

Demonstrative adjectives (aggettivi dimostrativi) are used to refer to an element whose entity and properties are precisely known.

There are two types of demonstrative adjectives:

1. demonstrative adjectives indicating closeness (equivalents of English "this");
2. demonstrative adjectives indicating remoteness (equivalents of English "that").

Declension of demonstrative adjectives in Italian

The adjective has to agree in gender and number with the noun it precedes.

1. Adjectives indicating closeness:

2. Adjectives indicating remoteness:

*Quel and quei are used when the noun that follows begins with a consonant (as the article il).
 Quello and quegli are used when the noun that follows begins with −s or −z (as the article lo)

quel ragazzo / quei ragazzi
that boy / those boys

quello scienziato / quegli scienziati
that scientist / those scientists

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Use of demonstrative adjectives in Italian

• If there is a demonstrative adjective in the sentence, qualifying adjectives are placed after the noun.
• If there is a demonstrative adjective in the sentence, possessive adjectives are placed between the demonstrative and the noun.

• When they precede a noun starting with a vowel, all demonstrative singular forms drop their vowel endings, replacing them with an apostrophe

quest' occhio / quell' occhio
this eye / that eye

quest' idea / quell' idea
this idea / that idea