Grammar Lesson 37:

The Italian demonstrative adjective

Medesimo is a demonstrative adjective used to express identity or perfect similarity. It is synonymous with stesso, even if less frequently used.

  Singular Plural Meaning
Masculine
medesimo medesimi
same
Feminine
medesima medesime

It can come both before and after the noun it determines.
 
Examples:
 
- Anna ripeté le medesime parole / Anna repeated the same words
- Ieri Anna aveva il medesimo cappotto / Yesterday Anna had the same coat on
- Ho comprato quel cappello medesimo / I bought that very hat
 
Medesimo can also be used as a demonstrative pronoun.
 
Examples:
 
- La donna che ti sta cercando è la medesima che ieri ti ha parlato alla reception / The woman who's looking for you is the same one that yesterday talked to you at the reception desk
 
It can be pleonastically used with stesso to reinforce the sense of identity conveyed by both.
 
Examples:
 
- È la stessa medesima cosa / It's therefore very same thing
- Anche se non hai fame devi mangiare lo stesso / You may not be hungry, but you have to eat anyway
- Nevica ma festeggeremo lo stesso in giardino / It snows but we're having a party in the garden anyway



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