In this lesson, we will cover interrogative pronouns and adjectives in Italian.
Interrogative pronouns are important tools that we use to form questions.
If the interrogative is followed by a noun, it becomes an interrogative adjective, e.g., “Quale edificio è più alto?” (Which building is taller?). In this case, the interrogative “quale” is considered an interrogative adjective.
If it is not followed by a noun, “quale” becomes an interrogative pronoun, e.g., “Quale è più alto?” (Which is taller?).
Interrogative Pronouns and Adjectives in Italian
Here is a list of most common interrogative pronouns and adjectives in Italian:
| Interrogative pronoun/adjective | English meaning | Examples |
| Che? Che cosa? Cosa? | What? | Cosa stai facendo? What are you doing? |
| Chi? | Who/Whom? | Chi ha fatto questo? Who did this? |
| Di chi? | Whose? | Di chi è questo libro? Whose book is this? |
| Come? | How? | Come lo hai fatto? How did you do it? |
| Quale(i)? | Which? | Quali sono le tue chiavi? Which ones are your keys? |
| Quanto(-a,-i,-e)? | How much? How many? | Quanto costa questo cappotto? How much does this coat cost? |
| Quando? | When? | Quando vuoi venire? When do you want to come? |
| Dove? | Where? | Dove sei ora? Where are you now? |
| Perché? | Why? | Perché non vuoi mangiare? Why don’t you want to eat? |
“Che?” vs. “Che cosa?” vs. “Cosa?”
The interrogative “che” (what), on its own, is often used as an interrogative adjective followed by a noun, e.g., “Che libro hai letto?” (What book did you read?).
Although we can use “che” as an interrogative pronoun, e.g., “Che hai letto?” (What did you read?), the more accepted forms are “che cosa” and “cosa,” both meaning “what,” e.g., “Che cosa hai letto?” and “Cosa hai letto?” both mean “What book did you read?”
“Perché” meaning “Why” or “Because”
The interrogative pronoun “perché,” meaning “Why,” can also be used as a conjunction meaning “because.”
Other Forms of “Quale” & “Quanto”
The interrogative “quale” (which) has the plural form “quali,” whereas “quanto” (when) has a feminine form “quanta.” The two singular forms “quanto” and “quanta” have the plural forms “quanti” and “quante,” respectively.
Optional Contractions
When the interrogatives “cosa,” “come,” “dove,” and “quale” are followed by “è” (is), the following contractions are common but not mandatory in written Italian:
| What is …? | Cos’è …? | Cosa è …? |
| How is …? | Com’è …? | Come è …? |
| Where is …? | Dov’è …? | Dove è …? |
| Which is …? | Qual è …? | Quale è …? |
Notice that an apostrophe is needed with the interrogatives “cosa,” “come,” and “dove,” but not in the case of “quale.”
Other lessons in Level I:
