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A few ways to say "a lot": parecchio, sacco, tanto/tanti

Parecchio, molto

 

No, papà è che c'ho parecchio lavoro da fare,

No, Dad, it's that I have quite a lot of work to do;

sono un po' sotto pressione.

I'm under a bit of pressure.

Caption 17, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne

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Parecchio might be less familiar to you than molto.

Ho molto lavoro (I have a lot of work).

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Like moltoparecchio is used as an adjective and in this case has different endings depending on whether it modifies a masculine or feminine noun and depending on whether it’s plural or singular.

Il lavoro is masculine, so it’s parecchio lavoro or molto lavoro.

 

Ci sono parecchie cose strane.

There are a lot of strange things.

Caption 72, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto

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La cosa is feminine and it’s plural, so we say parecchie cose or molte cose.

 

But like moltoparecchio is also an adverb. In the following example, parecchio could easily replace molto.

 

Mi piace molto il posto e poi ho ritrovato vecchi amici

I like the place a lot and then I met up with old friends

e la zia è deliziosa come sempre.

and Aunt is charming as always.

Captions 13-14, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne

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Un sacco

Un sacco is quite colloquial, as is “bunch!” Sacco translates as “bag,” or “sack," so imagine a big bag of something!

 

Non fare questa faccia, vedrai che ti farai un sacco di amici.

Don't make that face. You'll see that you'll make a bunch of friends.

Caption 10, La Tempesta - film

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Guarda che ti faranno un sacco di domande, eh.

Look, they will ask you a bunch of questions, huh.

Caption 46, Provaci ancora prof! - S2EP2 Una mina vagante

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Eh, ma cosa potrà mangiare questo povero bambino?

Yeah, but what can this poor child eat?

un sacco di cose... polenta, -Riso. -riso.

A bunch of things... cornmeal, -Rice. -rice.

Captions 5-6, Un medico in famiglia Stagione - 3 S3EP3 - Il tarlo del sospetto

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We might also translate un sacco here as "plenty." 

Tanto

Tanto is another word for a lot. Like the other words above, it can be used as an adjective:

 

E... insomma, dopo un tempo che in quel momento

And... in short, after a time, which in that moment

non sapevo stimare se era tanto o poco.

I couldn't assess whether it was a lot or a little.

Captions 54-55, Anna presenta - Il mio parto

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Certo che firmo per la barella, non avevo tanta scelta.

Of course I'll sign for a gurney. I didn't have much choice.

Caption 33, Anna presenta - Il mio parto

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Tanto can be used as an adverb as well.

Non andavo tanto veloce, ma mi hanno fatto la multa.
I wasn’t going very fast, but they gave me a ticket.

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

It’s always good to know several different ways to say something. Variety is the spice of life!

Vocabulary