How do you say 1 in Italian?
1 in Italian as a cardinal number
Use uno to say the cardinal number (which defines a quantity) 1 in Italian. Uno is also an indefinite article in Italian! Make sure you use the correct form un/uno/un’ in your sentences.
| Origin | From the Latin word unim, meaning “one” |
| Pronunciation | /uːno/ |
Uno
One, 1
1 in Italian: Examples
Mi serve ancora un solo kg di zucchero.
I still only need 1 kg of sugar.
Ho visto uno strano animale sul ciglio della strada.
I saw a strange animal by the side of the road.
Mia zia ha adottato un gatto a pelo lungo.
My aunt adopted a long-haired cat.
1 in Italian as an ordinal number
The ordinal number (defines an order) for 1 in Italian is primo.
Primo
1st
Primo also means “first course”! Ordinal numbers are adjectives in Italian. Like all other adjectives in Italian, primo needs to match the noun in both gender and number.
| Singular | Plural | |
| Masculine | Primo | Primi |
| Feminine | Prima | Prime |
For example, you can say…
Ho letto solo il primo capitolo, poi mi sono addormentato.
I only read the first chapter, then I fell asleep.
È la prima volta che vedo questo film.
This is the first time I have seen this movie.
I primi tre concorrenti riceveranno una medaglia.
The first three contestants will receive a medal.
Expressions featuring the number 1 in Italian
There are a number of common idioms featuring the number 1 in Italian. Among them you can find:
- uno alla volta (one at a time)
- o l’uno o l’altro (one or the other)
- essere il numero uno (to be number 1)
- a uno a uno (one by one)
More free Italian resources
You might want to keep learning Italian online with these free Italian resources:
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