Question 1

Why does the word for "arms" change from i bracci to le braccia in the same sentence?

Accepted Answer

The noun il braccio has two plural forms with different meanings (a semantic double plural). We use the feminine plural le braccia for human body parts, which we naturally think of as a collective pair. We use the masculine plural i bracci for non-human, mechanical, or figurative arms, like the arms of a crane or the branches of a river.

Question 2

Since le braccia ends in -a, why doesn't the adjective end in -a too?

Accepted Answer

Le braccia is a feminine plural noun, despite its unusual -a ending. Adjectives must agree with the noun's gender and number, so they take their normal feminine plural endings. Therefore, the adjective stanco becomes stanche to match the feminine plural.

Question 3

Why is the adjective forti used for i bracci?

Accepted Answer

The dictionary form of this adjective is forte. Adjectives that end in -e in the singular change to -i in the plural for both masculine and feminine nouns. Since i bracci is masculine plural, forte correctly becomes forti.

Question 4

Is gru a feminine or masculine noun, and how would you make it plural?

Accepted Answer

Gru (crane or crane bird) is a feminine noun, which is why it takes the feminine preposition della (di + la). Because it ends in -u, it is an invariable noun. This means its form doesn't change in the plural; "the cranes" would simply be le gru.

I bracci della gru sono forti, ma le braccia degli operai sono stanche.

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