molti
/ˈmol.ti/
In Italian, the phrase for "many" is molti.
molti is used as a determiner to indicate an indefinite large number of things or people, and it can also function as a pronoun.
Meaning: an indefinite large number of (det)
Which one should you use?
The form you use depends on the noun it describes. Use molti when the noun is plural. If the noun following the word is feminine and singular, the form changes to molta.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, particularly in the south, the word assai may be used to mean "many" or "a lot".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use the word as an adverb to mean "very much", the form remains molto regardless of the subject.
How do you pronounce it?
molti is pronounced /ˈmol.ti/. The stress is on the 1st of 2 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use molto to mean "many" in situations where they should instead use the gender and number-inflected forms like molti or molte.
Did you know?
- In music notation, the Italian word molto is used globally as a directive meaning 'very' or 'much', such as in molto allegro to indicate a very fast tempo.
- The word molti is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'multitude' and the prefix 'multi-'. Both derive from the Latin root 'multus'.
- In certain classical Italian texts, you might encounter the word mille used figuratively to mean 'many' or 'a great many', similar to how English speakers might say 'thousands of people'.
Examples in context
- Io ho molti sogni.I have many dreams.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of molti with dreams.Tatoeba #2554593 by Guybrush88, translation #2554528 by martinnicholson
- Io ho molti libri.I have many books.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of molti with books.Tatoeba #3154113 by Guybrush88, translation #254923 by CK
- Io ho molti hobby.I have many hobbies.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of molti with hobbies.Tatoeba #5890871 by Guybrush88, translation #5859815 by CK
- Ho molti amici in Italia.I have many friends in Italy.
- Ho molta esperienza nel settore.I have much experience in the sector.
- Hanno molti libri sulla storia italiana.They have many books on Italian history.
- La cena era abbondante.The dinner was plentiful.
- C'erano numerosi turisti alla mostra.There were numerous tourists at the exhibition.
- Ho tanti amici.I have many friends.
- Hanno tante idee interessanti.They have many interesting ideas.
- Ho molte cose da fare oggi.I have many things to do today.
- Ho assai lavoro da fare oggi.I have much work to do today.
- 1103 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are talking about a busy restaurant.
- MatteoCi sono molti clienti stasera!There are many customers tonight!
- MartinaSì, il ristorante è pieno.Yes, the restaurant is full.
- MatteoHai molti ordini da preparare?Do you have many orders to prepare?
- MartinaSì, ne ho moltissimi.Yes, I have a great many.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry molti, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
