4 Unit 1 Number: singular and plural 11 Masculine nouns ending in  -o , and all nouns ending in  -e , end in  -i  in the plural: * Nouns ending in  -ie  have only one  -i  in the plural. 12 Nouns ending in  -io  have only one  i  in the plural. But if the  -i  is stressed ( - i o ), the plural has two ( - i ): 13 Feminine nouns ending in  -a  take  -e  in the plural: 14 Masculine nouns ending in  -a  take  -i  in the plural: 15 When a noun ending in  -a  denotes a person, its plural ending depends on whether it is masculine or feminine. If it refers to a male, the plural ends in  -i ; if it refers to a female, the plural ends in  -e : Singular il problema  [m] il sistema  [m] problem system Plural i problemi i sistemi problems systems Singular la sorella  [f] la lettera  [f] la sera  [f] sister letter evening Plural le sorelle le lettere le sere sisters letters evenings Singular il bacio  [m] il desiderio  [m] l’inizio  [m] lo z i o  [m] il mormor i o  [m] kiss wish beginning uncle murmur Plural i baci i desideri gli inizi gli z i i i mormor i i kisses wishes beginnings uncles murmurs Singular il treno  [m] il nome  [m] la notte  [f] la stazione  [f] la pensione  [f] il / la parente  [m/f] la moglie  [f] train name/noun night station pension relative wife Plural i treni i nomi le notti le stazioni le pensioni i / le parenti le mogli * trains names/nouns nights stations pensions relatives wives