In Italian there are six categories of numerals: cardinali, ordinali, distributivi, moltiplicativi, frazionari, and collettivi.
Cardinal Numerals (Numerali Cardinali)
Italian cardinal numbers express an exact numerical quantity and are transcribed with Arabic numerals:
- Cardinal numbers are invariable:
quattro uomini
four men
quattro donne
four women
sei libri
six books
sei sedie
six chairs
But there are some exceptions:
» the feminine form of uno is una:
uno studente
a student
una commessa
a contract
» compound forms of uno are truncated if they are followed by a noun; the plural forms are required for the noun being referred to:
ventun giorni
twenty-one days
trentun mesi
thirty-one months
novantun settimane
ninety-one weeks
» the word tre (three) is never accented except in compound words:
tre sedie
three chairs
trentatré giorni
thirty-three days
centotré soldati
hundred and three soldiers
» mille (one thousand) has the plural mila:
mille grazie
many thanks
duemila lire
two thousand lire
» milione/milioni and miliardo/miliardi are nouns and are always followed by the preposition di:
un milione di franchi
one million Swiss francs
due milioni di lire
two million lire
un miliardo di persone
one billion people
cinque miliardi di stelle
five billion stars
- Arabic numerals are used:
» to indicate the official time and dates:
le 5.05
5:05 AM
le 23.23
11:23 PM
5 maggio 1992 or 5.5.1992
May 5, 1992 or 05/05/1992
» in arithmetic or to indicate scientific measurements:
7 + 3 = 10
Il Monte Bianco è alto 4810 m.
Mont Blanc is 4810 meters high.
» when the number expressed is too large to write in letters:
532.455 è la somma totale.
532,455 is the sum total.
Ordinal Numerals (Numerali Ordinali)
Italian ordinal numerals indicate the order of living things or things in a series or succession. They are transcribed with Arabic numerals (followed by the letter o for the masculine or the letter a for the feminine in superscript) and with Roman numerals.
NOTE: The terms ultimo, penultimo, terzultimo, quartultimo, quintultimo, and sestultimo can be considered ordinal as well.
- Ordinal numerals agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to:
the first results
la seconda settimana
the second week
il quinto piano
the fifth floor
Until the ninth century, when Arabs introduced the figures that bear their name, Roman numerals served as both cardinal and ordinal. Today their use is restricted to ordinals and a few other cases, such as in inscriptions and fractional numerals.
- The basic Roman numerals are:
V = 5
X = 10
L = 50
C = 100
D = 500
M = 1000
The other Roman numerals are obtained by combining these figures. When a smaller number is written to the left of a larger number, it is subtracted from the larger while if a smaller number is written to the right of a larger number, it is added to the larger.
XL (50 - 10) = 40
XCVI (100 - 10 + 5 + 1) = 96
MCMXCII (1000 + (1000-100) + (100 - 10) + 1 + 1) = 1992
- The Roman numerals are used:
» to indicate rulers and popes:
l'imperatore Carlo V
Emperor Charles V
Enrico VIII d'Inghilterra
Henry VIII of England
papa Giovanni Paolo II
Pope John Paul II
» to indicate centuries:
l'arte del XV secolo (1400s)
the art of the fifteenth century (1400s)
la storia americana del XVIII secolo (1700s)
American history of the eighteenth century (1700s)
NOTE: In Italian, it is common to hear il Quattrocento (1400s) or il Settecento (1700s)—that is, the term mille is implied (the context indicates whether the speaker is referring to the 400s or 1400s). They are considered cardinal numbers and must be written with a capital letter.
Distributive Numerals (Numerali Distributivi)
Distributive numerals indicate the manner of distribution, or how a quantity is divided in space or time. They are expressed with phrases usually formed by combining cardinal numbers with prepositions, adjectives, or indefinite pronouns. Examples include: a uno a uno, a due a due, uno per uno, due per due, uno ciascuno, and due ciascuno:
ogni due giorni
every two days
uscire a tre a tre oppure tre alla volta
go out in groups of three or three at a time
cinquecento lire per ciascuno
five hundred lire for everyone
NOTE: In the case of expressions such as a due a due, a tre a tre and similar, the entire term (often referred to as a complemento attributivo), is treated as an adjective.
Multiplicative Numerals (Numerali Moltiplicativi)
Multiplicative numerals indicate a multiplied quantity. Examples include doppio, triplo, quadruplo, sestuplo, and decuplo:
strada a doppia corsia
two-lane blacktop
versare una somma tripla
pour a triple amount
NOTE: Also used are forms that end in plice, such as duplice, triplice, and quadruplice:
un duplice incarico
a dual role
documento in triplice copia
document in triplicate
Fractional Numerals (Numerali Frazionari)
Fractional numerals indicate fractional parts of units. They are formed with a cardinal and an ordinal number:
1/4 (un quarto)
1/4 (one quarter)
3/4 (tre quarti)
3/4 (three-quarters)
5/8 (cinque ottavi)
5/8 (five-eighths)
» the adjective mezzo is invariable when preceded by the conjunction e, but agrees in gender and number if it precedes the noun:
le cinque e mezzo
half past five
una giornata e mezzo
a day and a half
mezza giornata
half-day
NOTE: in colloquial Italian the female form mezza is frequently used (and agrees in gender and number) when it follows the noun:
le cinque e mezza (ora)
half past five
una giornata e mezza
a day and a half
Collective Numerals (Numerali Collettivi)
Collective numerals indicate a plurality taken as a whole.
- Ambo, ambedue, entrambi and entrambe are adjectives and always follow the articolo determinativo
both sides
ambedue gli amici
both friends
entrambi i fratelli
both brothers
entrambe le sorelle
both sisters
NOTE: The following are nouns:
» paio, coppia:
un paio di scarpe
a pair of shoes
una coppia di amici
a couple of friends
» decina, dozzina, quindicina, ventina, trentina, centinaio, migliaio:
una decina d'anni
a decade
una dozzina di uova
a dozen eggs
una quindicina di giovani
fifteen youngsters
un centinaio di lettere
a hundred letters
un migliaio di lire
a thousand lire
» settimana, bimestre, trimestre, biennio, triennio:
Il corso dura una settimana.
The course lasts one week.
L'anno scolastico è diviso in bimestri o quadrimestri?
The school year is divided into two-month periods or four?
» terno, terna, quaterna, cinquina:
una terna di squadra
a trio of teams
un terno, una quaterna e una cinquina vencenti al lotto
a trio, a quadruplet, and a quintet of winning numbers played (in the lottery)
