qualche

Qualche is an Italian indefinite determiner used before a singular noun to mean some or a few. It is invariable for gender and number, so it appears with masculine and feminine nouns alike and always in the singular form of the noun that follows. Examples include "Qualche giorno," "Qualche amico," and "Qualche idea." The noun remains singular even though the sense conveys a small, indefinite quantity.

Qualche can also be combined with adjectives placed before the noun, often requiring the appropriate agreement of the adjective in its usual masculine singular form, e.g., "qualche bel fiore" or "qualche vecchio libro." It is not used before plural nouns; to express a plural amount you would normally use "alcuni/ alcune" or another phrase such as "un paio di."

In addition to its determiner use, "qualche" appears in the adverbial phrase "qualche volta," meaning sometimes or occasionally. This usage is common and widely understood, independent of any noun following it.

Distinctions and related forms: "Qualche" is contrasted with "alcuni/alcune," which explicitly mark a plural quantity, whereas "qualche" signals a smaller, approximate number and always governs a singular noun. It should not be confused with "qualcosa" (something), which is a separate indefinite pronoun. The expression remains a concise and flexible tool in everyday Italian for introducing a non-specific, limited amount of a thing or person.