Pluralia tantum

Some nouns are used generally in plural:

  • annali (gli) annals 
  • baffi (i) moustache
  • bocconcini (i) a kind of mozzarella cheese or a meat-stew
  • calènde (le) kalends
  • calzóni (i) slacks 
  • cesóie (le) big scissors
  • dimissióni (le) resignation
  • dintórni (i) environs, surroundings 
  • esèquie (le) funerals
  • fegatini (i) chicken livers
  • fèrie (le) vacation, holidays
  • fòrbici (le) scissors 
  • gemèlli (i) twins 
  • gramàglie (le) cloths of mourning
  • idi (le) Ides (hist.)
  • involtini (gli) thin slices of stuffed veal
  • masserizie (le) housewares
  • mòlle (del camino) (le) springs
  • mutande (le) pants (pl.), briefs (pl.)
  • narici (le) nostrils
  • nòzze (le) wedding, nuptials
  • occhiali (gli) glasses, spectacles
  • paraggi (i) whereabouts
  • rèdini (le) reins
  • rigàglie (le) offal (of birds)
  • sartìe (le) iron cable
  • sottoacéti (i) pickled vegetables
  • spiedini (i) skewered meat
  • spèzie (le) spices 
  • sponsali (gli) wedding, nuptials
  • stovìglie (le) pottery, kitchenware
  • tenàglie (le) pliers, tongs
  • tènebre (le) darkness
  • vettovàglie (le) viand
  • vìveri (i) victuals  

The names of the different kinds of Italian pasta are usually in plural:

  • agnolòtti (gli) stuffed pasta (Emilia Romagna)
  • bavétte (le) thin strips of pasta
  • bìgoli (i) string pasta (Veneto)
  • bucatini (i) hollow spaghetti
  • cannellóni (i) big tubular stuffed pasta
  • capellini (i) thin spaghetti
  • cappellétti (i) stuffed pasta
  • fettuccine (le) string pasta
  • fusilli (i) spiral pasta
  • gnòcchi (gli) dumpling
  • lasagne (le) large strips of pasta
  • maltagliati (i) irregularly cut pasta
  • manicòtti (i) stuffed pasta
  • orecchiétte (le) small pasta in the shape of a small "ear" (Apulia)
  • pappardèlle (le) large striped pasta
  • passatèlli (i) strained pasta (Emilia Romagna)
  • pénne (le) tubular pasta
  • raviòli (i) stuffed pasta
  • rigatóni (i) tubular pasta
  • spaghetti (gli) string pasta
  • tagliatèlle (le) noodles
  • taglierini (i) fine noodles
  • tagliolini (i) fine noodles   
  • tonnarèlli (i) string pasta
  • trenétte (le) median size noodles
  • tubétti (i) small tubular pasta
  • vermicèlli (i) fine noodles
  • vincigrasse (le) variation of lasagne (Sicily)
There are specific expressions in which some of the above words may be used in singular:

 


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