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Home » 62. Gli aggettivi invariabili / Invariable adjectives.

62. Gli aggettivi invariabili / Invariable adjectives.

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The adjective can be variable or invariable.

2. Invariable adjectives.

Invariable adjectives are limited in number and they are:

1. Some color adjectives, which were originally nouns:

Blu (blue), rosa (pink), indaco (indigo), viola (violet), amaranto (amaranth), arancio (orange), lilla (lilac), etc.

  • Pantaloni rosa (pink trousers).
  • Guanti blu (blue gloves).
  • Cielo viola (purple sky).

Variable color adjectives become invariable if paired with another adjective or noun:

Grigio perla (pearl grey), rosso ciliegia (cherry red), rosso scarlatto (scarlet red), verde pisello (pea green), verde bottiglia (green bottle), azzurro pallido (pale blue), giallo limone (lemon yellow).

  • Una giacca bianco ghiaccio (an ice white jacket).
  • Una gonna rosso scuro (a dark red skirt).
  • Una cravatta verde pisello (a pea green tie).

2. Some adjectives formed from preposition + adverb:

Perbene (good), dabbene (good), dappoco (little), ammodo (nice), etc.

  • Una persona perbene (a decent person).
  • Un uomo dappoco (a small man).

3. Some adjectives formed by: anti + noun:

Antiruggine (Anti-rust), antirughe (anti-wrinkle), antinebbia (anti-fog), antimafia (anti-mafia), antieroe (anti-hero), anticarro (anti-tank), atc:

  • Fari antinebbia (anti-fog headlights).
  • Commissione antimafia (anti-mafia commission).

4. The adjective pari (equal) and its derivative forms impari (unequal) and dispari (odd):

  • Una lotta impari (an unequal fight).
  • Un numero dispari (an odd number).
  • Non c’è la pari opportunità (There is no equal opportunity).

5. Adjectives of foreign origin: beat, jazz, snob, chic, bordeaux, etc.

  • La musica jazz (Jazz music).
  • Una donna chic (a chic woman).
  • Un signore snob (a snobbish gentleman).

6. The adjective arrosto:

  • Pollo arrosto, pesce arrosto, patate arrosto.
  • Roast chicken, roast fish, roast potatoes.