"The forks"

[strages]

how to know when it's female "le forchette" or "i forchetti". or is this just knowing?

[f.formica]

"Il forchetto" is a forked stick, and it's a term only used in some technical jargon; "il forcone" is a pitchfork. "La forchetta", plural "le forchette" is the only term you'd use when talking about food.