You might already know the adjective raro and the adverb raramente. These are true cognates of "rare" and "rarely" in English.
But there is another way to say this. Let's look at a couple of passages from a recent segment of Provaci ancora prof!
Semmai, ogni tanto prendere qualche sonnifero per dormire, ma insomma, raramente.
If anything, every now and then he takes some sleeping pills to sleep, but well, rarely.
Captions 35-36, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 5
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Camilla is talking to the doctor upstairs about sleeping pills. She pretends it's about Renzo.
Se proprio è una nottataccia due, ma, insomma, di rado, come Le ho detto.
If it's really a bad night, two, but, well, rarely, as I told you.
Captions 42-43, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 5
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He takes up her wording to comment:
Gli impedisca di prenderli, signora, anche di rado.
Stop him from taking them ma'am, even rarely.
Captions 44-45, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 5
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Interestingly, the adjective rado is used to mean "sparse," especially when talking about physical distance, such as, for example, between plants in a garden. In the present context, we are talking about distancing in time.
Here's another example of di rado. Yabla offers a documentary, produced by RAI about the important Italian post-war chef, Gualtiero Marchesi, who died in 2017. He was a pioneer of modern Italian cuisine. The documentary, which appeared in episodes on Italian TV, opens with what must be a passage from his own writings, narrated by someone who spee
Qui sono cresciuto, tra queste terre e queste acque. Tornando, ahimè sempre più di rado, mi sembra di riconoscere scorci e luoghi come se poco o nulla fosse cambiato.
I grew up here, in the midst of these lands and these waters. Coming back more and more infrequently, alas, I think I recognize views and places, as if little or nothing had changed.
Captions 12-15, L'arte della cucina Terre d'Acqua - Part 1
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And the adjective rado calls to mind the verb radere (to shave). It's also the first-person singular of this irregular verb.
Let's talk about some adverbs of time and how Italians use them. Some adverbs of time have multiple meanings and need context to be understood and used precisely.
We can detect the noun notte (night) as part of the time adverb stanotte. The beginning, on the other hand, is sta, a short form of questa (this).
Non ti dispiace se rimango qui stanotte, vero?
You don't mind if I stay here tonight, do you?
Caption 4, Il Commissario Manara S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro - Part 9
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But sometimes, the same adverb stanotte refers to "last night."
E mio marito non è rientrato stanotte e non ha nemmeno avvertito...
And my husband didn't come home last night and he didn't even let me know...
Caption 16, Il Commissario Manara S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 2
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We can use the same form to talk about the evening: stasera. Normally, we'd say that stasera means "this evening" but in English, we often use "tonight" when referring to the dinner hour, so sometimes "tonight" is the best translation.
La lista della spesa per la cena di stasera.
The shopping list for tonight's dinner.
Caption 2, Anna e Marika La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli - Part 1
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While we say things like "I'm going out tonight," Italians will choose stasera over stanotte, unless we are talking about something happening in the middle of the night. But let's remember that sera generally means "evening."
Ma', stasera esco. -Dove vai?
Mom, tonight I'm going out. -Where are you going?
Caption 53, Acqua in bocca Un amico per Pippo - Ep 1
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Also, let's take the opportunity to remind ourselves that buonasera is a greeting upon arrival, whereas buonanotte is when you're leaving (and perhaps headed for bed).
You may already be familiar with the word for "yesterday." It's ieri. Just in case stanotte might not be clear enough, we have the choice of using ieri notte to mean "last night." If you are just getting up in the morning, you'll probably use stanotte to talk about the night before, but if it is later in the day, ieri notte makes sense.
Ieri notte tre ladri hanno pensato bene di svaligiare un atelier di abiti da sposa.
Last night, three thieves had the bright idea of cleaning out a wedding gown studio.
Caption 40, La Ladra EP. 2 - Viva le spose - Part 13
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If we say ieri sera, we can translate it with either "last night" or "yesterday evening," depending on how we think of it. But sera is generally used until late, let's say, until bedtime, whenever that is.
E voi due ieri sera eravate in casa? Sì, stavamo guardando la televisione.
And you two last night were at home? Yes, we were watching television.
Captions 47-48, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 2
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We have said that ieri means "yesterday," but what about the day before yesterday?
One way to say this is l'altro ieri (the other yesterday).
Quando l'hai vista l'ultima volta? -L'altro ieri.
When did you last see her? -The day before yesterday.
Captions 5-6, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 5
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Some people invert the words and say ieri l'altro.
Of course, we can also say due giorni fa (2 days ago).
E quando l'hai vista l'ultima volta? -Due giorni fa.
And when did you see her last? -Two days ago.
Captions 50-51, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 4
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If we don't need to be precise, we can say "the other day."
No, scusa l'altro giorno non t'ho potuto richiamare, ma dovevi dirmi qualcosa di lavoro?
No, sorry, the other day I couldn't call you back, but did you have something about work to tell me?
Captions 29-30, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP1 L'estate del dito - Part 16
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When we're referring to the past with these adverbs of time, we'll want to use the passato prossimo (which works like the present perfect) tense. The exception is when we use the verb essere (to be). In this case, we might also use the imperfetto.
Note that we don't say il giorno prima di ieri to correspond to "the day before yesterday!" But if that's all you can think of, people will understand. They'll probably say, "Oh, sì, l'altro ieri."
Let's check out this great Italian two-word adverb: a malapena. We rarely, if ever, see malapena without its preposition, so we can almost think of it as one word. Let's look at some examples in context to absorb its meaning, and then we'll unpack it.
In this first example, Imma, the deputy public prosecutor of the city of Matera, is at a dinner party at the home of one of her colleagues, the last place she wanted to be, and in fact, some of the other guests are making disparaging remarks about her.
Pensare che parlava a malapena l'italiano e mò [lucano: ora] è diventata pure PM [Pubblico Ministero].
Just think that she barely spoke Italian and now she has even become a public prosecutor.
Captions 55-56, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi - Part 10
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In this wonderful film for TV, based on a true story about teaching adults how to read and write on TV, Antonio argues with the school principal criticizing his teaching methods. He defends himself by asking her why his methods work, while hers clearly don't.
Mi sa spiegare perché a malapena sanno leggere e scrivere?
Can you explain to me why they can barely read and write?
Captions 62-63, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 5
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In La tempesta, a comedy set in the Venetian city of Treviso, Paolo, a photographer, knocks at the door of his new neighbor (a woman), wanting a favor. She doesn't want to open the door.
No, io a malapena ti conosco. No. -Va bene, allora facciamo le presentazioni:
No. I hardly know you. No. -All right, then let's introduce ourselves.
Captions 50-51, La Tempesta film - Part 1
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In the next example, the context is a bit different, as we are talking about the number of bottles of wine a new winery has produced.
Cavour impiega almeno una quindicina di anni per riuscire a produrre le prime bottiglie. Sono a malapena cento.
Cavour takes at least fifteen years to succeed in producing the first bottles. There were barely a hundred of them.
Captions 38-40, Meraviglie EP. 5 - Part 2
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If we look up a malapena in the dictionary, we find some synonyms: a stento, a fatica, con fatica. But if we do a little more digging, we see it also means appena. If we look for the etymology, we find that malapena is malo (an adjective meaning "bad" or an adverb meaning "badly") plus pena. While la pena is a noun meaning "suffering," a malapena likely comes from appena, from the Latin "ad paene," meaning "almost." In addition, the verb penare means "to struggle." One translation of a malapena is "with difficulty." The evolution of a word, as we have seen on many occasions, is not a straight line!
So we could say a malapena means "almost" but in the negative sense, in other words, "barely." We can use it when we have gone further than "almost," but just by a hair. You made it, but you almost didn't make it! And it took an effort, a struggle, to make it by that small margin.
So if we take our video examples, one by one, we could give these alternative (though inelegant) translations:
"She almost didn't speak Italian." "She struggled to speak Italian."
"They almost don't know how to read and write." "They struggle to read and write."
"I almost don't know you."
"There were almost less than a hundred bottles." "It was a struggle to reach one hundred bottles."
We could use appena in place of a malapena in our video examples (see above):
Pensare che parlava appena l'italiano...
Mi sa spiegare perché sanno appena leggere e scrivere?
No, io ti conosco appena.
Sono appena cento [bottiglie].
Using a malapena instead of appena gives the idea more weight, more effort to reach a limit. With mal as a sort of prefix (meaning malo), there is also a hint of a negative connotation.
In a previous lesson, we looked at the adverb appena in a different context to mean "as soon as" and "just as." But we also use appena to mean "a small amount." Almost nothing!
In the following example, we can keep to the "almost" meaning by thinking that they almost didn't know each other!
Lui e lei si sono appena conosciuti, ma già si amano.
He and she just met, but they already love each other.
Captions 6-7, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 19
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Appena in tempo, translated as "just in time," could also be interpreted as "almost late."
"Basta!" -Appena in tempo.
"Stop!" -Just in time.
Caption 33, Dixiland Coppa di cioccolato
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Here is an example of appena used just like a malapena.
Lo conoscevo proprio appena, perché vivo in Italia da un anno e...
I barely knew him, because I've been living in Italy for a year, and...
Caption 8, Il Commissario Manara S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro - Part 3
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I almost didn't know him, because...
To round out this lesson about a malapena and appena, let's just add that when you are talking about something very, very slight, it's common to repeat the adverb appena.
Qui ci sono ancora le tracce del colore originario che si riescono appena appena a vedere.
Here, there are still traces of the original color which one can just barely see.
Captions 13-14, In giro per l'Italia Asciano - S. Giuliano Terme: Villa Bosniascki - Part 2
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For sure, appena is used more often than a malapena, but now we see where they cross paths. Do a Yabla search of appena on the videos page and you will see scores of examples. See if you can single out the nuances of meaning.
Have questions or comments? Write to us. We love to hear from you!
When you meet someone halfway on a deal, or you go towards someone who is coming towards you, say, on the street, we often use the turn of phrase: andare incontro a.
Andare is "to go" and incontro in this case is an adverb (or preposition) meaning "toward."
Mi puoi venire incontro?
Can you meet me halfway?
Using this turn of phrase can be a little confusing, but here are the elements:
a verb of motion, which is usually andare (to go) or venire (to come). It might even be correre (to run).
the adverb or preposition incontro meaning "toward"
the preposition a (to)
an indirect object noun or pronoun
Let's look at some Yabla examples of how we can use andare incontro a.
The word order can change and often the indirect object comes first, as in the following examples. In this case, the preposition a is included or implied in the indirect pronoun.
Ti vengo incontro (I'll meet you halfway).
È successo che stavo pulendo il locale e...
What happened is that I was cleaning the bar and...
poi l'ho sentita e gli [sic: le] sono andato incontro,
then I heard her and I went towards her,
ma non c'è stato verso di farla ragionare.
but there was no way to get her to reason.
Captions 2-4, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore - S1EP1 L'estate del dito
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La notte, Roma, le sue luci e tu che mi vieni incontro.
The night, Rome, its lights and you coming towards me.
Captions 1-2, La Ladra - EP. 12 - Come ai vecchi tempi
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In the following example, the verb correre (to run) is used instead of andare (to go) or venire (to come), but it works the same way.
Attori, tecnici, comparse gli corrono incontro.
Actors, technicians, extras run towards them.
Caption 16, Vivere - Un'avventura di Vittorio De Sica - Part 10
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If, rather than a pronoun, I use a noun (la difficoltà) as an object, as in the next examples, then I will need the proposition a.
Vado incontro a tante difficoltà.
(I'm going to run into plenty of difficulties).
Io vado incontro al mio destino
I go towards my destiny
Caption 21, Niccolò Fabi - Lontano da me
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Io e Sua Eminenza cercheremo una soluzione
His Eminence and I will look for a solution
quanto possibile per venire incontro
as far as possible to meet you half way
a quello che Lei mi ha chiesto.
for what you have asked me.
Captions 29-31, Vivere - Un'avventura di Vittorio De Sica - Part 9
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In the next example, it's a bit different, because Nora is using the first person plural to make things sound more collaborative, but the meaning is clear. She wants a discount.
Senta, io so che Lei è un professionista, una brava persona,
Listen, I know that you are a professional, a good person,
quindi non possiamo venirci incontro un pochino sul prezzo?
so can't we meet halfway a bit on the price?
Captions 25-26, Sposami - EP 4 - Part 14
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Another reason andare incontro a can cause confusion is that l'incontro exists as a noun (the encounter) and incontrare means "to meet" or "to encounter." The first person singular of incontrare is incontro (I encounter, I meet). For more on these meanings, see this lesson: Close Encounters with Incontro.
In addition, in is a preposition all on its own meaning "to" or "in." Contro is a preposition meaning "against."
Let's talk about a word that is used a lot in Italian to mean more than its one-word, traditional translation. We're talking about sotto (under, underneath, below). Not only is it a preposition, but it's also an adverb and sometimes a noun. It can combine with other words to take on a new meaning, and in this lesson, we will just mention a few of the common ways it's used to mean something different than what we might expect.
Sotto is often preceded by qua, qui, or là when indicating something either close by or further away, but in a downward direction.
E qua sotto c'è il fiume Tevere.
And down here is the river Tiber.
Caption 19, Anna e Marika - Trattoria Al Biondo Tevere
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When we talk about the stories or floors in a building or house, we can use sotto to indicate a lower floor. Usually, in this context, it's preceded by di (of).
Andiamo giù a vedere che cosa c'è al piano di sotto.
Let's go down to see what's on the lower floor.
Caption 23, In giro per l'Italia - Firenze
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When you want to talk about downstairs, you can also use sotto.
Ah, perché non è di sotto?
Ah, because she's not downstairs?
Caption 4, Sposami - EP 4 - Part 9
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Vai di sotto!
Go downstairs!
Sometimes sotto means "in front of," usually referring to a house, a building, or... one's nose. Lots of people live on the upper floors of apartment buildings, so you have to go down to get to the front of the building.
Appena ha visto i carabinieri sotto casa Sua,
As soon as you saw the carabinieri in front of your house,
se n'è scappato tipo "Fuga di mezzanotte".
you ran away, "Midnight Express" style.
Captions 8-9, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore - S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi
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Sotto il profilo is used to mean something to the effect of "in terms of" or "as regards." Il profilo is a true cognate and friend of "the profile," but it's used figuratively here.
Rita abbia dedicato la sua vita a fare crescere la sua anima
Rita devoted her life to nurturing her soul,
e non soltanto sotto il profilo della ricerca scientifica, eh.
and not only in terms of her scientific research, uh.
and not only as regards her scientific research, uh.
Captions 41-43, Illuminate - Rita Levi Montalcini
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Here, the Italian expression uses the preposition sotto, but the English one uses the preposition "on."
Eh... eh, non è questione di non avere nessuno sottomano,
Uh... uh, it's not a question of not having anyone on hand,
è che è molto difficile trovare la donna giusta.
it's that it's very difficult to find the right woman.
Captions 28-29, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro
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Sottomano can also mean "handy," or "close by."
Non ho il numero sottomano ma lo posso cercare nella rubrica.
I don't have the number handy, but I can look it up in my address book.
When you are talking about a 2-piece outfit, such as pyjamas, bikini, or athletic wear, you can refer to the bottoms as il sotto (the bottom part).
We have just scratched the surface of sotto but if you absorb all these meanings (or even one or two), you will be one step closer to becoming fluent.
Why not check out Marika's video about adverbs of place (avverbi di luogo)? Attenzione: Sometimes what are considered adverbs in Italian might be considered prepositions in English.
Poi is a short word, and it's an adverb, but it is used extremely often, and more often than not, it means something other than its basic translation of "then." The English word "then" is also one of those words we find in all sorts of situations, meaning various things. Sometimes it's tricky to find the "right" English equivalent of poi, since it is also used as a kind of filler word in Italian.
Let's look at the dictionary definition of poi. The first definition is "then." How helpful is that? Not so helpful, except in the most basic cases.
At its most basic, poi may be used like "then" to put things in order, in a series. For example, if you are giving someone instructions, you will use "Then you do this..." The same thing can be done in Italian. Here, Daniela is listing the colors and how they work in Italian.
I colori positivi sono: grigio.
The positive colors are: gray.
Grigio. La maglia di Sandra è grigia.
Gray. Sandra's sweater is gray.
Poi abbiamo il nero.
Then we have "nero" (black).
La mia maglia è nera.
My sweater is black.
Poi abbiamo la maglia di Ingeborg che è... bianca.
Then we have Ingeborg's sweater, which is... white.
Captions 4-8, Corso di italiano con Daniela - I colori
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When someone is telling a story, you might ask:
E poi cosa è successo?
And then what happened?
Caption 30, Acqua in bocca - Rapimento e riscatto - Ep 12
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But poi can also mean later. Maybe the easiest way to remember this is in the expression prima o poi (sooner or later).
Se nascevo da un'altra parte,
If I was [had been] born somewhere else,
prima o poi, il destino bussava.
sooner or later, destiny would have come knocking.
Caption 20, Chi m'ha visto - film
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Speaking of expressions, another one that's used a lot is d'ora in poi from now on:
Siamo una cinquantina
There are about fifty of us
e siamo tutti pronti ad avere,
and we are ready to have,
d'ora in poi, come soli referenti voi.
from now on, you as our sole representative,
Captions 24-25, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep.2
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In other words, we're talking about "later than this moment," or "henceforth." But we can also say da quel moment in poi, when we're talking about the past or the future — from then on, from that moment forward.
Sometimes poi is used like "besides," "in the end," "all in all."
Poi, adesso che ha deciso di candidarsi alle elezioni,
Besides, now that he has decided to run for election,
ha in testa soltanto la politica e il Movimento Comunità.
he has only politics and the Community Movement in mind.
Captions 4-5, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep.2
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In the following example, we could even leave poi out, and the sentence would make sense.
...perché questo serve per
...because this serves to
rendere ermetica la chiusura,
create the hermetic seal,
quindi non far entrare l'aria,
meaning it doesn't let in any air,
che poi è quella che va a far deteriorare la marmellata.
which is, in the end, what makes the jam deteriorate.
Captions 75-78, Andromeda - Marmellata anti spreco
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So, often, poi is just used as filler. In fact, here, it's even left out of the translation, because del resto is already complete. But poi embellishes it a bit, to mean "also" or "too."
Come prosciutto e melone poi del resto, però la mozzarella...
Like cured ham and melon, for that matter, but mozzarella...
Caption 23, Anna e Marika - La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli
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We have just scratched the surface. If you find instances of poi that you don't understand, please let us know and we will add on to this lesson.
Troppo (too, too much, too many) is an essential word to know. It's also easy because its meaning is clear even if you use it by itself, even if you use it incorrectly. It is a word that will serve you well if you travel to Italy, and especially if you do any shopping. But let's remember that it can be used as either an adverb or an adjective. So it's just one more thing to think about when using it (correctly).
Troppo caro! is an important phrase to memorize. Too expensive!
The question you might ask before saying that is:
Quanto costa (how much does it cost)?
If you don't understand the answer, try to get the vendor to write down the price.
Here below, troppo is used as an adverb. We see there is an adjective following it: caro (expensive, dear).
Ma è troppo caro, ma questo vasetto qua...
But that's too expensive, but this little pot here...
Caption 60, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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You can also just say È troppo (it's too much) or Costa troppo (it costs too much).
Typical uses of troppo as an adverb:
Troppo difficile (too difficult)
Troppo forte (too loud, too strong)
Troppo caldo (too hot)
Troppo complicato (too complicated)
Even when the adjective modifies an adjective with a feminine ending, troppo (as an adverb) remains the same.
Lei è troppo ansiosa (she is too anxious).
I miei professori sono troppo esigenti (my teachers are too demanding).
But we can also use troppo as an adjective. Attenzione! When we use troppo as an adjective it has to agree, or correspond, to the noun it is modifying. We have to consider gender and number and thus, in translating troppo as an adjective, we have to think of whether it's "too much" or "too many."
So let's say we are again finding an item to be too expensive. We can say:
Sono troppi soldi (that's too much money) .
Remember money is countable in Italian. Un soldo (a penny) or i soldi (the money).
Chances are that when you see troppo (with an o at the end) it will be an adverb but look around to see whether there is an adjective or a noun after it.
C'è troppo aglio.
There's too much garlic.
Caption 1, Dafne - Film - Part 18
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When you see troppi or troppe, then you know they are adjectives.
Tu ti fai troppi problemi, troppi.
You're having too many scruples, too many.
Caption 16, Sposami - EP 3 - Part 20
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Ti ho perdonato... ti ho perdonato troppe volte.
I've forgiven you... I've forgiven you too many times.
Caption 43, Concorso internazionale di cortometraggio - A corto di idee
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Let's also be aware that troppo is often used by itself: È troppo! to mean, "that's too much!" in a figurative way.
Tanto is another word that is very useful and very common, although it does have various meanings and uses that we won't cover here. We'll limit ourselves to talking about its function as an adjective or adverb to mean "a lot," "much," "many," or "very."
Ben presto però si sviluppò in Europa, dove ebbe tanto successo.
Quite early on, it spread to Europe, where it had a lot of success.
Caption 7, Adriano - balla il Tango Argentino
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In the example above, there's a noun after tanto, so we can see it's an adjective. But in the following example, there's an adjective after tanto, so it's an adverb. When translating, we'll need "very" when tanto is used as an adverb.
Il problema principale è che Boss era un gatto...
The main problem was that Boss was a cat...
era ed è un gatto tanto socievole.
he was, and is, a very sociable cat.
Captions 31-32, Andromeda - La storia di Boss
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We use tanto a lot in negative sentences too, or we can use poco the same way:
Non è tanto bello (it's not very nice).
È poco bello (it's not very nice).
When tanto is used as an adjective, we have to watch the endings, just as we did with troppo.
Si può aggiungere il caffè, si possono aggiungere tanti ingredienti...
One can add coffee, one can add many ingredients...
Caption 10, Andromeda - in - Storia del gelato
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...in vista di tante passeggiate all'aria aperta.
...in anticipation of many walks in the open air.
Caption 35, Adriano - Le stagioni dell'anno
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So basically troppo and tanto work the same way, in terms of grammar. As we said before, tanto has other meanings or nuances, so we suggest doing a search of tanto in the lessons tab, to see multiple lessons about the word. Check them out!
Let's talk about adverbs we can use to add a qualifier to an adjective. We can say someone is gentile (nice). But we can qualify that with an adverb such as molto (very), poco (not very), abbastanza (rather, enough), and others.
Molto (very) and poco (not very) go hand in hand. They can be either adjectives or adverbs. When they're adjectives, we change the ending according to what they modify. But when they're used as adverbs, they are invariable.
Molto is perhaps the one we hear most often. In our first example, molto becomes molti to agree with negozi (the plural of negozio). This is because it is functioning as an adjective. For more on this topic, see Daniela's lessons.
A qui [sic], a Mondello ci sono molti negozi.
Here in Mondello there are many shops:
Caption 18, Adriano - a Mondello
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In the next example, however, molto is an adverb modifying forte (strong). As an adverb, the ending doesn't ever change. And in English, the meaning changes to "very."
In estate qui il sole è molto forte.
In summer, the sun here is very strong.
Caption 40, Adriano - Le stagioni dell'anno
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Poco works the same way as molto and can be used as an adjective or an adverb. Here, poche agrees with ore (the plural of ora).
Poche ore fa, non più di tre.
Just a few hours ago, no more than three.
Caption 43, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP2 - L'addio di Lara
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But here, it's an adverb modifying chiaro (clear).
C'è sicuramente qualcosa di poco chiaro là sotto.
There is for sure something not very clear underneath it all.
Caption 40, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone - EP1 I Bastardi - Part 15
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Molto and poco are opposites, more or less, but we have some "in-between" words, too.
Abbastanza is interesting because it comes from the verb bastare (to suffice). So the most logical translation for abbastanza might be "sufficiently" — to the degree of being sufficient, or "enough," which in English comes after the adjective it modifies. In everyday speech, however, we often equate abbastanza with "rather," "fairly," or in colloquial speech, "pretty."
Era abbastanza timida, abbastanza riservata.
She was rather shy, rather reserved.
Caption 2, Illuminate - Rita Levi Montalcini
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Certo, Lojacono mi sembra uno abbastanza sveglio,
Of course, Lojacono seems quite smart to me,
ma per quanto riguarda il resto della squadra,
but regarding the rest of the team,
Lei è messo male, io lo so.
you are in bad shape, I know.
Captions 36-38, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone - EP1 I Bastardi - Part 9
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A synonym for abbastanza is piuttosto, usually translated as "rather." It's on the positive end of the scale but not at the top. When you say abbastanza, you might be saying something is lacking, that something is just sufficient, especially when coupled with a positive adjective such as buono (good) bene, (good, well) or bello (beautiful, nice).
Come ti senti?
How do you feel?
Abbastanza bene. -Ce la fai?
Pretty good. -Can you manage?
Captions 72-73, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia
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But with piuttosto, it's usually positive relative to what it's modifying and serves to reinforce the positive aspect of something without actually going to the point of saying molto (very). So it's generally (but not always) higher on the scale than abbastanza.
Anche se, su certi argomenti, se la cava piuttosto bene devo dire.
Even though, on some subjects, she manages rather well, I must say.
Caption 52, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero
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So of course it can also modify a negative adjective, and reinforces its characteristic, as in this example:
La gestione all'interno della casa
The running of the household
è stata piuttosto complicata, i primi giorni,
was quite complicated, the first days,
Captions 2-3, COVID-19 - 3) La quarantena
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Nella memory card ce n'erano anche altre, piuttosto sfocate.
On the memory card there were others too, and rather blurry.
Caption 9, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP4 - Miss Maremma
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This adverb is similar to piuttosto, but is often another way of saying molto (much, very). But it can also be just a short step lower than molto, depending on the context and the region the speaker is from.
Ma in realtà, pensate, dopo praticamente sette secoli e più,
But actually, just think: After practically seven-plus centuries,
questi colori si sono leggermente sbiaditi. Sono assai meno brillanti.
these colors have faded somewhat. They are much less brilliant.
Captions 26-27, Meraviglie - EP. 4 - Part 4
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Another qualifying adverb is parecchio (a great deal). It's used a lot as an adjective, but works fine as an adverb, too. See this lesson.
Quindi, quando sarà finito, sicuramente mi riposerò,
So, when it's all done, I'll take a break, for sure,
perché sto parecchio stressata.
because I am totally stressed out.
Captions 50-51, Fuori era primavera - Viaggio nell'Italia del lockdown
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See this video for some explanations in Italian about qualifying adverbs, now that we've given you some pointers in English.
People have their personal favorites when it comes to adverb qualifiers. So keep your eyes and ears open. Listen for the variable endings when these qualifiers are adjectives, and the invariable ending when they're adverbs. This takes patience and experience. But little by little, you will put two and two together.
This list isn't set in stone, as these adverbs can be used differently by different people, but it can help give you an idea.
- •molto, parecchio
- •assai
- •piuttosto
- •abbastanza
- •poco
- •per niente (at all) — We didn't discuss this here but you will find it mentioned in other lessons if you do a search of niente.
In a previous lesson, we looked at the preposition presso. It's used, for example, when you are staying with someone and can stand for "c/o." You can use it to say in which organization you are working. It's always followed by a noun.
Lavoro presso la biblioteca comunale (I work at the public library).
Please see this lesson to get more information about presso.
In a recent video, we find a related word, appresso, usually used as an adverb, but also as a preposition. In this particular case, Alberto Manzi has been sent to a juvenile detention center to try to teach kids how to read and write. They are unwilling, and prefer to follow the "leader of the pack."
Tutti appresso a lui come delle pecore.
All of you following him like sheep.
Caption 52, Non è mai troppo tardi EP1 - Part 8
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Our translation, "following," doesn't really do the word justice. It might be easier to have a visual cue. Think of how sheep really act. They don't follow each other neatly in a line. They kind of crowd one another without thinking.
In the following example, Lara's father is talking about an ancient tomb he has been studying for years. Again, the translation doesn't do it justice, but the preposition appresso gives you the feeling that he has been obsessing over that tomb, that it has been consuming his time and energies.
Sono quattordici anni che sto appresso a quella tomba!
I've been on that tomb for fourteen years.
Caption 52, Il Commissario Manara S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne - Part 8
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Let's consider for a moment the addition of an A to the beginning of the preposition presso. It is very reminiscent of the relation between dosso and addosso, or poggio and appoggio. The prefix A can change a noun into a different part of speech.
But whereas addosso has to do with the back as a body part, often used figuratively, appresso is more about being nearby.
Cucina contadina che emigra nelle città, portandosi appresso conoscenze e tradizioni.
Country cooking that emigrates to the cities, taking along with it knowledge and traditions.
Captions 15-16, L'arte della cucina Terre d'Acqua - Part 13
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In terms of clothing and accessories, addosso might have to do with the clothes you have on, and appresso will be more related to your briefcase, laptop, carry-on bag, or handbag.
Speaking figuratively, when you are keeping at someone to do something, or just coming too close, addosso and appresso can practically coincide.
Non mi stare così addosso (get off my back)!
Non mi stare così appresso (give me some space)!
Addosso may be more common in this context, but the example can serve to see what the difference is.
An adverb modifies, or describes, a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. But in Italian (as in other languages), we sometimes mix and match. Sometimes we use an adjective like an adverb and vice versa. Let's look at a few of the common adjectives that fall into this category.
One of these cases is the adjective leggero (light, lightweight). It might be more correct to say Guarda come vola in modo leggero, (look how she is flying, as light as a feather). Or we could consider leggera (lightweight) as modifying the noun, in this case, una farfalle (a butterfly).
Guarda come vola leggera.
See how weightlessly it's flying.
Caption 19, Gatto Mirò EP 10 Piantiamo un albero
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Another is forte. It's basically an adjective, as in the following example.
Orfeo era... aveva un carattere forte.
Orfeo was... He had a strong personality.
Caption 35, Il Commissario Manara S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 4
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But forte is used quite often as an adverb, especially after a verb. In the following example, it's translated as "great," also primarily an adjective, but we use it as an adverb, too.
Sto andando forte, eh?
I'm doing great, right?
Caption 24, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 12
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Fortemente exists as an adverb and is used in some contexts, especially before the adjective it happens to be modifying.
Io non le ho prese. -Non lo so, ma sei fortemente indiziata! -Ma!
I didn't take them. -I don't know, but you're a very strong suspect [strongly suspected]. -Well!
Caption 62, Il Commissario Manara S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 4
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But it's very common to use the forte when it comes to modifying verbs. Fortemente would sound wrong.
Dai papà, alza la testa e fai resistenza mentre io ti spingo giù, ispirando forte.
Come on Daddy, lift your head and press while I push you down, inhaling deeply.
Captions 18-19, Provaci ancora prof! S2E3 Dietro la porta - Part 22
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Like forte, veloce is often used in place of the adverb velocemente.
Dixi l'aveva soprannominata saetta, perché andava veloce come un fulmine.
Dixi nicknamed it "Saetta" (lightning bolt), because it went fast like lightning.
Captions 8-9, Dixiland In bicicletta
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E perché, vado troppo veloce?
And why? Am I going too fast?
Caption 56, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 3
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Oh cowboy, se tu cambi obiettivo così velocemente, la selvaggina scappa!
Oh, cowboy, if you change your target so quickly, the game gets away!
Caption 35, Il Commissario Manara S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro - Part 6
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Piano is the opposite of both forte and veloce. There is no specific adverbial version, but it can be used both as an adjective and an adverb. Piano has different meanings, so it's not always clear, even from the context, which meaning it has.
Ciao. -A presto. Vai piano.
Bye. -See you soon. Go slowly.
Captions 48-49, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 6
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Luca, non senza autorizzazione! -Shh. Parla piano.
Luca, not without authorization! -Shh, speak softly.
Captions 46-47, Il Commissario Manara S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde - Part 12
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Let's keep in mind that adjectives used as adjectives need to agree with the nouns they modify, but when they are used as adverbs, they stay just the way they are. In the following example, forte is used as an adjective to describe i sentimenti (the feelings).
Spero solo che anche i suoi sentimenti siano altrettanto forti.
I only hope that his feelings are as strong as yours.
Caption 12, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 11
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Lo spada è uno dei pesci più veloci esistenti,
Swordfish is one of the fastest fish in existence.
Caption 10, Linea Blu Sicilia - Part 3
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Some cases don't seem to fit the pattern. In this final example, veloce seems to be used as an adverb, but its plural ending agrees with the plural noun like an adjective.
Poi dice che sono gli etiopi che corrono veloci, eh.
Then they say that the Ethiopians are the ones who run fast, huh.
Caption 42, Sposami EP 6 - Part 4
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banner PLACEHOLDER
Let's talk about how we use adverbs in Italian.
Adverbs are easy because they don't change according to gender or number, as adjectives do. Knowing a few basic adverbs can help you ask and answer questions in general conversation with strangers or new friends. Adverbs in Italian (gli avverbi) are used to modify, clarify, qualify, or quantify the meaning of a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
Adverbs can be categorized according to what they describe, or what questions they answer: Read more about Italian adverbs.
avverbi di modo (how?)
avverbi di quantità (how much or many?)
avverbi di luogo (where?)
avverbi di tempo (when, how often?)
Here's a list of some of the common adverbs you need to know:
Let's concentrate on two adverbs that often go hand in hand, but for now, we'll look at them separately:
Leonardo, molto spesso, nelle sue opere,
Leonardo, very often in his works,
faceva le figure centrali quasi fossero delle piramidi.
made the central figures almost as if they were pyramids.
Captions 10-12, Meraviglie - EP. 3 - Part 12
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Spesso is a great adverb to know. Just tack it on to a verb and you're all set.
Vengo spesso in questo posto (I often come to this place).
Non viaggio spesso in treno (I don't often travel by train).
Volentieri is also a wonderful adverb to have in your toolbox. When someone invites you to do something, you can answer with one word: Volentieri! (I'd be happy to, I'd love to). It may be helpful to consider that this adverb comes from the verb volere (to want). We can also translate volentieri as "willingly." For more about volentieri, read this lesson.
This is an expression you will hear now and then, and it's an Italian favorite. Although we have looked at the two adverbs making up this expression, we might still be perplexed about what it might mean, exactly. "Often and willingly"??? It's not something we say, or not often anyway.
Although it can mean "often and willingly," it usually means "more often than not!" So when you are thinking about how to say "more often than not" in Italian, you might be tempted to translate each word: più spesso che non... but you might want to try to resist that temptation. Italians prefer to say spesso e volentieri. So we have two adverbs: one is an adverb of time: spesso = often. The other is an adverb of manner: volentieri = willingly.
In the following example, Marika and Anna are making a wonderful frittata out of leftover spaghetti! Non si butta via niente (nothing gets thrown away)!
Tutto si ricicla e, spesso e volentieri,
Everything gets recycled and, more often than not,
è più saporito, no, il piatto riciclato che quello originale.
the recycled dish — you know? — is tastier than the original one.
Captions 8-10, L'Italia a tavola - Frittata di spaghetti
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One thing to keep in mind is that in this case, volentieri doesn't necessarily refer to anyone being willing or glad to do something, although it might. It's that something happens easily, without extra effort: often and easily. In the following example, Daniela is talking about the special past tense, il passato remoto, which has gone out of fashion in many parts of Italy, but is still used, a lot of the time, in the south of Italy.
Se vi piace l'Italia del Sud, quindi Napoli...
If you like the south of Italy, in other words: Naples...
la Sicilia, la Sardegna, la Puglia, la Calabria,
Sicily, Sardinia, Apulia, and Calabria,
dovete conoscere il passato remoto
you should know the remote past
perché nel sud Italia si parla molto spesso e volentieri
because in the south of Italy people speak using, more often than not,
al passato remoto.
the remote past tense.
Captions 21-24, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Il passato remoto
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In the following example, it is a matter of preference and willingness.
Lavo i panni spesso e volentieri a mano
(I often prefer to wash my laundry by hand).
Spesso e volentieri, mia mamma fa la spesa nelle botteghe
(My mom often prefers to shop in the small grocery stores).
We hope you enjoy using this new expression, and that we have given you some insight into it. Let us know if you have any questions! Write to us at newsletter@yabla.com.
Let’s talk about adverbs. While adjectives describe nouns, adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Many adverbs are closely connected to adjectives, especially those that answer the question, come (how). In fact, there are a good number of adverbs that can be easily formed if we are familiar with the adjectives. And just remember, while adjectives can have different endings according to number and gender, adverbs stay the same!
Let's look at how to use adjectives to form Italian adverbs with the suffix -mente. Using -mente is similar to using "-ly" in English, in cases such as "nice — nicely," "loud —loudly," and "forceful — forcefully."
Of course, there are many exceptions, but here are some common and useful Italian adverbs that will be easy to remember since they are formed by adding -mente to the root form of the adjective.
In order to build Italian adverbs with -mente, you just have to follow this very simple formula:
Feminine form of the adjective + mente
For example, if we want to form an adverb with the adjective ultimo (last), we just need to take the feminine form of that adjective (ultima) and add the suffix -mente, like this:
ultima (last) + mente = ultimamente (lastly, lately)
chiaro (clear) + mente = chiaramente (clearly)
L'ho detto chiaramente ai suoi collaboratori, prima di prendere qualsiasi iniziativa...
I told your colleagues very clearly: before taking any initiative at all...
Caption 19, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro
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Let’s look at some more examples:
Vero (true) + mente = veramente (truly, really)
Le dimensioni sono veramente compatte. -Sì, sì.
The dimensions are really compact. -Yes, yes.
Caption 29, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep. 1
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Onesto (honest): onesta + mente = onestamente (honestly)
Giacomo, onestamente non ci aspettavamo questa cosa.
Giacomo, honestly, we didn't expect this thing.
Caption 53, Questione di Karma - Rai Cinema
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More adverbs like these:
Lento (slow) + mente = lentamente (slowly)
Stupido (stupid) + mente = stupidamente (stupidly)
Ironico (ironic) + mente = ironicamente (ironically)
Serio (serious) + mente = seriamente (seriously)
Raro (rare) + mente = raramente (rarely)
You might have noticed that all these adjectives ended in o. This means they have both a masculine and feminine ending, and apart from lento, they also happen to be similar to their English equivalents. Some adjectives, however, end in e, and therefore have the same ending in both the masculine and feminine. When this is the case, the adverb will simply add -mente to the adjective without changing it.
Let's take the adjective semplice (simple).
Semplice (simple) + mente = semplicemente (simply)
If, on the other hand, the adjective ends in -le or -re, we drop the final vowel e before adding the suffix -mente:
Here are some very common and essential adverbs in this category.
Speciale (special) - e: special + mente = specialmente (especially)
Gentile (kind) -e: gentil + mente = gentilmente (kindly)
Normale (normal) -e: normal + mente = normalmente (normally)
Practice:
Can you turn these common and useful Italian adjectives into adverbs, keeping in mind the three ways we talked about in this lesson?
probabile (probable)
tranquillo (calm)
felice (happy)
fortunato (lucky)
sicuro (sure)
musicale (musical)
forte (strong)
rapido (fast, rapid)
veloce (fast)
cortese (courteous)
coraggioso (courageous)
scientifico (scientific)
possibile (possible)
comodo (comfortable)
maggiore (greater)
ulteriore (additional)
You'll find the solutions here.
Thanks for reading!
Don't forget to send your questions and topic suggestions to newsletter@yabla.com.
A presto!
Here are the adverbs easily formed from adjectives.
probabile (probable) probabilmente (probably)
La vittima è, molto probabilmente, un barbone.
The victim is, most probably, a homeless man.
Caption 14, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva
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tranquillo (calm, without worries) tranquillamente (calmly, easily)
felice (happy) felicemente (happily)
fortunato (lucky) fortunatamente (luckily, fortunately)
sicuro (sure) sicuramente (surely, of course)
musicale (musical) musicalmente (musically)
forte (strong) fortemente (strongly)
rapido (fast, rapid) rapidamente (rapidly)
veloce (fast) velocemente (rapidly)
cortese (courteous) cortesemente (politely, corteously)
coraggioso (courageous) coraggiosamente (courageously)
scientifico (scientific) scientificamente (scientifically)
possibile (possible) possibilmente (possibly)
comodo (comfortable, convenient) comodamente (comfortably, conveniently)
maggiore (greater) maggiormente (to a greater degree)
Queste erano le cose che maggiormente si ricordavano.
These were the things people remembered most.
Caption 48, L'arte della cucina - L'Epoca delle Piccole Rivoluzioni
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ulteriore (additional) ulteriormente (further)
Be', non voglio disturbarLa ulteriormente.
Well, I don't want to disturb you any further.
Caption 9, Trailer ufficiale - Benvenuti al sud
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How did you do? If you had trouble, let us know at newsletter@yabla.com
A presto!
There's a movie on Yabla about a musician who wants to make it as a singer, but is not succeeding.
His agent tells him to take a break from performing, and to soften the blow, says that although Martino's music making is all right, he doesn’t have the presence necessary for performing on stage.
Here's what the agent says:
Sì, la musica ancora ancora sta, ma è la faccia, "the face" [inglese: la faccia]. È questa...
Yes, your playing is maybe all right, but it's the face, the face. It's this..
Caption 36, Chi m'ha visto - film
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A reader has written in asking if the double instance of the adverb ancora was a mistake or not. It’s a good question, and we’ll try to answer it.
We have learned from Daniela's lessons about comparatives and superlatives that, in addition to using più or the suffix -issimo to form the superlative of adjectives and some adverbs, we can also simply repeat the word twice. So we have bellissimo or bello bello. They mean the same thing, although the double adjective or adverb is used primarily in spoken Italian. Read this lesson about it!
So, we have this word ancora. It’s already the source of a little confusion because it means different things in different contexts.
We've looked at this before and there's a lesson about the different meanings of ancora.
Let’s give the word a quick review here.
In the following example, ancora means "even."
Così puoi capirmi ancora meglio.
That way, you can understand me even better.
Caption 27, Italian Intro - Serena
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And In this example, ancora means "still". "Still" and "even" can often be interchangeable, as in these two examples.
E ancora oggi siamo molto amiche.
And still today we're very close friends.
Caption 39, Erica e Martina - La nostra amicizia
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È ancora vivo.
He’s still alive.
If we put it in the negative, non ancora means "not yet."
Non è ancora morto.
He's not dead yet.
In the example that follows, ancora means “more.”
Ne vuoi ancora? -Eh?
Do you want some more of it? -Huh?
Caption 32, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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And ancora can also mean simply, “again.”
Va be', comunque io ti ringrazio ancora per i biglietti,
OK, in any case, I thank you again for the tickets,
Caption 67, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro
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So this adverb has different meanings that are somewhat related. They have to do with time or quantity and can mean “still,” “again,” “yet” with non (not), “more,” or “even.”
But in this movie, it’s repeated twice, and here, it has a particular, colloquial meaning. It means we are on the borderline of something. Ancora ancora means we're at the limit. We're on the line, even though we haven't stepped over it. Something can pass.
So Martino’s agent is saying, “Your playing is good enough,” and might even be implying “it’s passable.” Here, it’s followed by ma (but), so it's clear that something else isn't passable. "Your playing is passable, but your face isn’t."
There are other adverbs that lend themselves being doubled for effect:
Poco poco to mean just a tiny bit.
Piano piano to mean really soft, really slow.
Appena appena to mean faintly, barely.
Sometimes the doubling takes on a special meaning that has evolved over time, as in the case with ancora ancora.
Quasi quasi is another adverb like this. Literally, it means almost almost, but that makes little sense. For more on quasi quasi, see this lesson about it. Here's an example to give you the basic idea. Let's say I've been debating in my mind whether to have another helping, but then decide and say:
Quasi quasi, ne prendo ancora.
I might just have some more.
If you're not yet a subscriber but seriously thinking about it, you could say,
Quasi quasi mi iscrivo a Yabla.
I might just sign up for Yabla.
In a recent episode of La Ladra, three great, informal adverbs stand out in three consecutive lines.
Ma quelli non mollano l'osso manco morti!
But those guys never let go of the bone, not even dead.
Magari l'osso di Cicci sono io.
Maybe I am Cicci's bone.
Ma mica solamente l'osso.
But not only the bone, of course.
Captions 35-37, La Ladra - Ep. 2 - Viva le spose - Part 10
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We have already discussed magari (maybe, if ever) and mica (at all), and here is a new adverb. We’ve seen it, here and there, in videos, but now it’s time to do a bit of explaining.
Manco: Originally, it meant meno (less), and was used in expressions such as niente di meno (nothing less) in the variants niente di manco, niente manco, non di manco, non manco(nothing less) and is rarely used today. Its second, more recent meaning, and somewhat related to the first, is used quite a bit. It’s equivalent to neanche (not even) as an abbreviated form of nemmanco (not even).
Manco, meaning neanche, has generally been considered to be bad writing form* and continues, even today, to be used exclusively in informal speech, and in writing that reproduces speech. It’s used more in the south than in the north, and is equivalent to nemmeno, neanche, and neppure (not even).
It’s important to remember that manco is an abbreviation for a word with ne (not, nor) as a sort of prefix, and therefore like mica has a negative meaning, even though it doesn’t exhibit the typical characteristics of a negation.
In the previous episode of La Ladra, the first word is manco!
Manco di Augusto mi posso più fidare.
I can't even trust Augusto anymore.
Caption 2, La Ladra - Ep. 2 - Viva le spose - Part 9
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See how easily it slips into conversation. It’s certainly quicker than saying neanche.
E lo sai che manco a farlo apposta, proprio qui vicino, c'è un negozio, aperto da poco, che vende mozzarella di bufala.
And you know, not even to do it on purpose [by sheer coincidence], right near here, there's a shop, recently opened, that sells buffalo mozzarella.
Captions 46-47, Anna e Marika - La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli - Part 1
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Have fun with manco. It’s a word you’ll likely hear more than say, since neanche andnemmeno are more straightforward. Like mica, it’s a strong word, and is used emphatically. When someone uses manco, they mean it. Just imagine someone’s eyebrows going up and their eyes opening wide, as they say, manco morto! as if to say, “you gotta be kidding me!”
*See the Accademia della Crusca, a centuries-old linguistic institution in Italy, now also an online service for questions about the Italian language (articles are in Italian).
In an episode of La Ladra, one word comes up in three different instances, which is used constantly in conversation, but rarely in “proper” writing.
In modern Italian, it is most often used as an adverb synonymous with affatto (at all) or per niente (at all).
Non sarà mica facile, eh, per delle dilettanti come noi.
It won't be at all easy, uh, for dilettantes like us.
Caption 10, La Ladra - Ep. 2 - Viva le spose
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In the previous example, mica could be replaced by affatto or per niente. But mica is much more informal.
Non sarà affatto facile, eh, per delle dilettanti come noi.
It comes from “mica,” the Latin noun for “crumb,” so it has to do with something tiny, and of little importance.
The people from una parola al giorno (a word a day) explain mica nicely:
Parola che come avverbio scivola continuamente nei nostri discorsi a rafforzare le nostrenegazioni (a word that slips, repeatedly, into our conversations and reinforces our negations):
non è mica male (it’s not bad at all)
non mi scoccia mica (it doesn’t put me out at all, it’s no hassle at all)
non è mica uno scherzo (it’s no laughing matter)
To read what else they have to say, see: https://unaparolaalgiorno.it/significato/mica. It’s a great site for learning new words.
As we have seen above, mica is generally used with a negation, but this is often merely implied, as in the following examples. At the same time, it can have the connotation of “by any chance” and/or have the same role as question tags in English.
Mica hai una penna da prestarmi (you wouldn’t happen to have a pen to lend me, would you)?
Ma... mica vorrai aprirlo con questa? -Ci proviamo.
But... you're not thinking of opening it with this, are you? -We'll try it.
Caption 9, La Ladra - Ep. 2 - Viva le spose
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Mica ce l'hai con me?
You don't happen to be mad at me, do you?
You’re not mad at me, are you?
Caption 16, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva
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Mica l’ho fatto apposta!
I didn’t do it on purpose!
It's not as if I did it on purpose!
Mica is a rather fun word to use. It’s a way of expressing a negation without coming right out and saying it, or reinforcing a negative you are indeed saying. And the more you use it, the more it will slip into your conversation, and the more genuine your Italian will sound.
Yabla... mica male!
A user wrote in with a question about these two words. Is there a difference? Yes, there is: chiaro is an adjective, and chiaramente is an adverb. But that’s the simple answer.
Language is in constant flux, and chiaro has various meanings, just as “clear” in English does. And this adjective has come to take on the job of an adverb in certain contexts, as Marika mentions in her lesson on adverbs.
"Non fare troppi giri di parole, parla chiaro".
"Don't beat around the bush. Speak plainly."
Caption 29, Marika spiega - Gli avverbi di modo
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As a matter of fact, dictionaries list chiaro as both an adjective and adverb, but as an adverb, it's used only in certain circumstances, with certain verbs.
What’s the difference between parlare chiaro and parlare chiaramente?
Well, sometimes there isn’t much difference.
Del resto la relazione del mio collega di Milano parla chiaro.
Moreover, the report from my colleague in Milano is clear.
Caption 30, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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In the example above, the speaker could have used the adverbial form to mean the same thing.
Del resto la relazione del mio collega di Milano parla chiaramente.
Parlare chiaro has become an idiomatic expression — un modo di dire. It gets the message across very clearly. It implies not using flowery language, wasting words, or trying to be too polite. But parlare chiaramente can have more to do with enunciation, articulation, ormaking oneself understood. So, sometimes parlare chiaro and parlare chiaramente can coincide, but not necessarily.
Apart from this modo di dire, the adjective and adverb forms are used a bit differently in grammatical terms.
Since chiaro is an adjective, it normally describes or modifies a noun. To be correct, then, we often use è (it is).
È chiaro che non lo deve sapere nessuno perché il marito è gelosissimo.
It's clear that no one should know, because her husband is very jealous.
Caption 33, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde
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Chiaro may be used by itself with a question mark to ask, “Is that clear?”
E non sono tenuto a spiegarti niente, chiaro?
And I'm not obliged to explain anything to you, is that clear?
Caption 20, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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The adverb chiaramente, on the other hand, can stand alone before or after another clause or can be inserted just about anywhere in a sentence.
Natoli ha chiaramente bisogno di glutine, eh.
Natoli clearly needs gluten, huh.
Caption 33, La Tempesta - film - Part 5
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Using chiaro, Paolo could have said:
È chiaro che Natoli ha bisogno di glutine.
It’s clear that Natoli needs gluten.
But chiaro has a special in-between meaning when it’s used in place of an adverb with verbs such as parlare (to speak) and vedere (to see).
Finché non ci ho visto chiaro la tengo io.
Until I've seen things clearly I'm keeping it.
Caption 44, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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Although we have translated it with an adverb, we could also say:
Until I get a clear picture of things, I’m keeping it.
Practice:
Look for sentences with either chiaro or chiaramente and try switching them, making the necessary changes. Doing a search on the video tab will give you plenty of examples.
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