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Countable nouns for English uncountables

English is full of nouns that are commonly uncountable. Words like information, advice, homework, and furniture do not usually take a plural ending. We cannot say "one advice" or "two furnitures", so we rely on phrases like "a piece of" to count them.

Italian is much more flexible. Many concepts that act as uncountable nouns in English have perfectly normal, countable equivalents in Italian. You can put a number right in front of words like informazione or consiglio, and they frequently appear in the plural.

Word list
capellimA1 hair un capello = a single hair compitimA1 homework un compito = one task compiti a casamA1 homework compiti a casa = homework compitomA1 homework un compito = an assignment vestitimA1 clothes un vestito = a piece of clothing/dress abitimA2 clothes un abito = a piece of clothing/suit consigliomA2 advice un consiglio = a piece of advice informazionefA2 information un'informazione = a piece of information mobilemA2 piece of furniture un mobile = a piece of furniture mobilimA2 furniture mobili = furniture notiziafA2 news una notizia = a news item alloggiomB1 accommodation un alloggio = a place to stay armaturafB1 armor un'armatura = a suit of armor bagagliomB1 luggage un bagaglio = a piece of luggage conoscenzafB1 knowledge le conoscenze = knowledge frutto di maremB1 seafood un frutto di mare = a piece of seafood fulminemB1 lightning un fulmine = a lightning strike gioiellomB1 jewel un gioiello = a piece of jewelry lampomB1 lightning un lampo = a flash of lightning notiziefB1 news una notizia = a news item progressomB1 progress un progresso = an improvement ricercafB1 research una ricerca = an individual study tuonomB1 thunder un tuono = a clap of thunder apparecchiaturafB2 equipment un'apparecchiatura = a piece of equipment attrezzaturafB2 equipment un'attrezzatura = a piece of equipment bagaglio a manomB2 carry-on un bagaglio a mano = a carry-on bag calzaturafB2 footwear una calzatura = a piece of footwear/shoe corazzafB2 armor una corazza = a piece of armor/breastplate gioiellimB2 jewellery gioielli = jewelry pettegolezzomB2 gossip un pettegolezzo = a piece of gossip posatefB2 silverware una posata = a utensil provafB2 evidence una prova = a piece of evidence rifiutomB2 garbage un rifiuto = a piece of trash saettafB2 lightning una saetta = a bolt of lightning applausomC1 applause un applauso = a round of applause bene immobilemC1 real estate un bene immobile = an item of real estate immobilemC1 property un immobile = a property impalcaturafC2 scaffolding un'impalcatura = a scaffold ponteggiomC2 scaffolding un ponteggio = a scaffold rottami metallicimC2 scrap metal un rottame metallico = a piece of scrap metal
Information, advice, and news

Let us look at some of the most common concepts that require a unit like "piece of" in English. In Italian, you just use the singular form for one item and the plural form for multiple items.

Posso darti un consiglio?
(Can I give you a piece of advice?)
Abbiamo ricevuto due informazioni utili.
(We received two useful pieces of information.)

The same logic applies to notizia (news). While "news" always takes a singular verb in English despite ending in an "s", Italian treats it as a standard countable noun.

Ho una buona notizia per te.
(I have some good news for you.)
Daily tasks and physical objects

Physical items and daily chores often fall into this category. For instance, school homework is treated as individual tasks in Italian. You will usually see compito or compiti a casa in the plural when a student has a lot of work to do.

Ho troppi compiti stasera.
(I have too much homework tonight.)

Furniture and luggage follow the exact same rule. A single item of furniture is un mobile, and multiple items are mobili. A single suitcase or bag is un bagaglio, while all your bags together are your bagagli.

Abbiamo comprato tre mobili per il salotto.
(We bought three pieces of furniture for the living room.)
Quanti bagagli avete?
(How much luggage do you have?)

Similarly, English words that are uncountable like jewelry or always plural like clothing are counted as individual things in Italian. Hair works this way too. A single hair is un capello, and a full head of hair is plural.

Ha dei bellissimi capelli lunghi.
(She has beautiful long hair.)
Concepts, evidence, and equipment

Abstract concepts and broad categories work just like physical objects. Words for research, evidence, progress, and equipment can be counted directly. For example, una ricerca is a single research study, and nuove prove translates to new evidence.

I ricercatori hanno pubblicato due ricerche.
(The researchers published two research studies.)
La polizia ha trovato nuove prove.
(The police found new evidence.)
Manca un'attrezzatura importante.
(An important piece of equipment is missing.)
Summary

When speaking Italian, do not let English uncountable nouns hold you back. Words for advice, information, news, homework, and furniture can all be counted normally using numbers, indefinite articles, and regular plural endings.