-e

Nouns Ending in -e

Level 1

Italian nouns ending in -e are the 'third category' of nouns. Unlike nouns ending in -o (usually masculine) or -a (usually feminine), these can be either gender. Both masculine and feminine -e nouns change to -i in the plural.

How It Works

In Italian, nouns ending in -e represent a significant group of words. Here is how to handle them:

1. Gender Identification
Because the ending doesn't tell you the gender, you must look at the article or a dictionary. However, some endings are usually predictable:

Usually Masculine: Nouns ending in -ore (il fiore), -ale (il giornale), and -one (il bastone). Note: Some common exceptions are feminine, like la capitale or la canzone.
Usually Feminine: Nouns ending in -zione (la stazione), -sione (la pensione), and -udine (l'abitudine).

2. Plural Formation
This is the easiest part: both masculine and feminine nouns in this category change the final -e to -i.

il padre (the father) → i padri
la notte (the night) → le notti

3. Common Gender Nouns
Some nouns for people use the same form for both genders; only the article changes. For example: il nipote (the grandson) vs. la nipote (the granddaughter).

4. Exceptions
Nouns with a stressed final vowel like il caffè or il tè are invariable and do not change in the plural.

Examples (5)

Il cane corre nel parco.
The dog runs in the park.
Word by Word: The dog runs in the park.
'Cane' is a masculine noun ending in -e.
Ho comprato una chiave nuova.
I bought a new key.
Word by Word: I have bought a key new.
'Chiave' is a feminine noun ending in -e.
I fiori sono molto belli.
The flowers are very beautiful.
Word by Word: The flowers are very beautiful.
The masculine noun 'fiore' becomes 'fiori' in the plural.
Le stazioni del treno sono grandi.
The train stations are big.
Word by Word: The stations of the train are big.
The feminine noun 'stazione' becomes 'stazioni' in the plural.
Il cameriere porta il pane.
The waiter brings the bread.
Word by Word: The waiter brings the bread.
Both 'cameriere' and 'pane' are masculine nouns ending in -e.

Common Mistakes

Using -e for the plural of feminine nouns.
le chiave
le chiavi
Learners often think feminine nouns always end in -e in the plural (like 'le case'). However, if the singular ends in -e, the plural must end in -i, regardless of gender.
Assuming all -e nouns are masculine.
il notte
la notte
Many essential feminine words end in -e. You must learn the gender with the noun.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-eLevel 1Nouns Ending in -e

Learn This First

Understanding nouns ending in -e requires a prior grasp of the concept of grammatical gender in Italian. Since -e nouns do not have a fixed gender based on their ending, learners must first be familiar with the standard -o/-a gender markers to appreciate how -e nouns function as a separate category.

-o / -aNoun Gender (-o/-a)
Before learning nouns with the ambiguous -e ending, learners must first understand the basic Italian gender system where nouns typically end in -o for masculine and -a for feminine.
Level 1

Words in This Pattern

-e

Sources

Practice -e in Bubblegum

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