Ho un orologio vecchio.

I have an old clock.

Breakdown of Ho un orologio vecchio.

• io: I
• avere: to have
• vecchio: old
• l’orologio: the clock

Questions & Answers about Ho un orologio vecchio.

Why is the adjective vecchio placed after the noun orologio? Can I also say vecchio orologio?

Italian adjectives normally follow the noun, so Ho un orologio vecchio is the neutral order. You can also say Ho un vecchio orologio, but:

• Putting the adjective before the noun often sounds more literary or emphatic.
• In some cases a pre-noun adjective adds nuance (for example vecchio amico = “a longtime friend,” not “ex-friend”).

Why is the indefinite article un used instead of uno?

Italian uses two masculine singular indefinite articles:

• un before most consonants and before vowels (for example un orologio, un albero).
• uno before s+consonant, z, ps, gn, x (for example uno studente, uno zaino).
  Because orologio starts with a vowel, we use un.

How does vecchio agree with the noun in gender and number?

• Orologio is masculine singular, so the adjective is masculine singular: vecchio.
• Masculine plural: orologi vecchi.
• Feminine singular: casa vecchia.
• Feminine plural: case vecchie.

Could I use antico instead of vecchio? What’s the difference?