Personali

Personali is the plural form of the Italian adjective personale, meaning personal or private. It is used to describe nouns in the plural and agrees in gender and number with the nouns it modifies. In everyday Italian, it appears in phrases such as beni personali (personal belongings), effetti personali (personal effects), dati personali (personal data), and informazioni personali (personal information). The form helps distinguish objects or attributes that belong to an individual from those that are public or general.

In legal and administrative contexts, and particularly in discussions of privacy, the phrase dati personali is standard and widely used in Italian data protection law and policy, mirroring the broader European emphasis on safeguarding personal information. The adjective personale, and its plural form personali, are also common in occupational or descriptive phrases, such as spese personali (personal expenses) or responsabilità personali (personal responsibilities).

Etymology-wise, personale derives from Latin persona, meaning “person” or “character,” with the -ale suffix forming an adjective meaning related to the thing named by the root. The plural form personale becomes personali when modifying plural nouns.

Usage notes: personale functions only as an adjective and is not typically used as a standalone noun. The plural form personali is not a separate noun; it marks agreement with the plural noun it accompanies. As with many Italian adjectives, placement can affect emphasis, though in most standard phrases it precedes or follows the noun depending on emphasis and rhythm.

See also: personal data, personal belongings, privacy law, Italian language.