It expresses an undefined amount of things or substances. It has a meaning similar to English "a little, some, any". It was formed under the French influence.
Forms:
| singular, masculine: | |
| before a consonant: | del |
| before a vowel: | dell ’ |
| before gn, ps, z, x and s + consonant: | dello |
| singular, feminine: | |
| before a consonant: | della |
| before a vowel: | dell ’ |
| plural, masculine: | |
| before a consonant: | dei |
| before a vowel: | degli |
| before gn, ps, z, x and s + consonant: | degli |
| plural, feminine: | |
| generally always: | delle |