The Essential Guide to Italian Adverbs - Avverbi
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Adverbs (avverbi) are key to enriching your Italian sentences, providing important information about how, when, where, or how often something happens. In this article, we’ll dive into the most common adverbs of time, place, frequency, and manner. We’ll also cover how to form adverbs using -mente, similar to -ly in English. This guide includes a table of key adverbs, practical examples, and activities to help you master their use.
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What Are Adverbs (Avverbi)?
In Italian, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to provide details about actions, conditions, or events. Here are the four main categories of adverbs:
- Adverbs of Time (avverbi di tempo)
- Adverbs of Place (avverbi di luogo)
- Adverbs of Frequency (avverbi di frequenza)
- Adverbs of Manner (avverbi di modo)
Adverbs of Time (Avverbi di Tempo)
These adverbs tell us when something happens. They can be placed before or after the verb in most cases.
Italian Adverb
English Translation
Example Sentence
Translation
già
already
Ho già finito il libro.
I have already finished the book.
ancora
still/yet
Non ho ancora mangiato.
I haven’t eaten yet.
adesso
now
Adesso vado a casa.
Now I’m going home.
poi
later
Poi parleremo del progetto.
Later we’ll talk about the project.
sempre
always
Mangio sempre la pasta.
I always eat pasta.
mai
never
Non sono mai stato in Spagna.
I have never been to Spain.
qualche volta
sometimes
Qualche volta vado al cinema.
Sometimes I go to the cinema.
recentemente
recently
Ho visto Maria recentemente.
I saw Maria recently.
prima
before
Prima di cena, facciamo una passeggiata.
Before dinner, we’ll go for a walk.
tardi
late
Sono arrivato tardi alla festa.
I arrived late at the party.
Key Adverbs: “Già” and “Ancora”
1. Già – Already
Già is used to indicate that something has already happened. It suggests that an action has been completed, often sooner than expected.
Examples:
- Ho già finito il lavoro.
→ “I have already finished the work.” - Maria è già partita.
→ “Maria has already left.”
The adverb già is used to indicate that something has already happened. It’s usually placed between the subject and the verb or after the verb.
Examples:
- Ho già finito il compito.
→ “I have already finished the homework.” - Maria è già arrivata a casa.
→ “Maria has already arrived home.”
Usage Tip: Use già to emphasize that an action has occurred sooner than expected or has already been completed.
2. Ancora – Still or Yet
Ancora can mean either still or yet, depending on the context and whether the sentence is positive or negative.
- Ancora = Still (in positive sentences)
- Ancora = Yet (in negative sentences)
Examples:
- Il treno non è ancora partito.
→ “The train hasn’t left yet.” - Sto ancora lavorando sul progetto.
→ “I’m still working on the project.”
Usage Tip: When using ancora in negative sentences, it translates to yet (similar to English), but in positive sentences, it translates to still.
Ancora can mean either still or yet, depending on the sentence’s positive or negative form.
- Ancora = Still (in positive sentences)
- Ancora = Yet (in negative sentences)
Examples:
Sto ancora aspettando il treno.
→ “I’m still waiting for the train.”Adverbs of Place (Avverbi di Luogo)
Non ho ancora mangiato.
→ “I haven’t eaten yet.”
These adverbs describe where an action occurs. They are often found near the verb or at the end of the sentence.
The Difference Between “Yet” and “Still” in English vs. Italian
In English, we use yet in negative sentences and still in positive ones. This is similar to how ancora works in Italian, but learners often mix up già and ancora because “yet” and “already” are used differently in English.
- Yet is used with questions and negative sentences to express that something has not happened up to the present time.
- Still is used to say that an action or situation continues to the present.
Examples:
- “Have you finished the book yet?”
→ Hai già finito il libro? - “I haven’t finished yet.”
→ Non ho ancora finito. - “I’m still reading the book.”
→ Sto ancora leggendo il libro.
In Italian, you can often switch between già and ancora depending on whether the action is viewed as completed (già) or in progress/not yet done (ancora).
Adverbs of Time (Avverbi di Tempo)
- Non ho ______ finito di leggere il libro. (già / ancora)
- I haven’t finished reading the book yet.
- Siamo arrivati ______ per la riunione. (prima / tardi)
- We arrived late for the meeting.
- ______, ho mangiato la pizza a pranzo. (recentemente / sempre)
- Recently, I ate pizza for lunch.
- Hai visto quel film ______? (mai / adesso)
- Have you ever seen that movie?
- Ti telefono ______ domani. (sempre / poi)
- I’ll call you later tomorrow.
Adverbs of Place (Avverbi di Luogo)
These adverbs describe where an action occurs. They are often found near the verb or at the end of the sentence.
Italian Adverb
English Translation
Example Sentence
Translation
qui
here
Vieni qui, per favore.
Come here, please.
lì / là
there
Metti il libro lì.
Put the book there.
sopra
above
Il quadro è sopra il divano.
The painting is above the couch.
sotto
under
Il gatto è sotto il tavolo.
The cat is under the table.
dentro
inside
Vieni dentro perché fa freddo.
Come inside because it’s cold.
fuori
outside
I bambini giocano fuori.
The kids are playing outside.
vicino
near
Abito vicino alla stazione.
I live near the station.
lontano
far
Il parco è lontano da qui.
The park is far from here.
Adverbs of Place (Avverbi di Luogo)
- Il tuo libro è ______ sul tavolo. (là / sopra)
- Your book is there on the table.
- Vieni ______, voglio parlarti. (qui / lì)
- Come here, I want to talk to you.
- Abiti ______ o lontano dal centro? (vicino / fuori)
- Do you live near or far from the city center?
- Il gatto è nascosto ______ sotto il divano. (sopra / dentro)
- The cat is hidden inside under the couch.
- Aspetta ______, sto arrivando! (lontano / fuori)
- Wait outside, I’m coming!
Adverbs of Frequency (Avverbi di Frequenza)
These adverbs express how often an action takes place.
Italian Adverb
English Translation
Example Sentence
Translation
sempre
always
Vado sempre al lavoro in bici.
I always go to work by bike.
mai
never
Non fumo mai.
I never smoke.
spesso
often
Studio spesso la sera.
I often study in the evening.
raramente
rarely
Raramente mangio dolci.
I rarely eat sweets.
ogni tanto
every now and then
Vado a teatro ogni tanto.
I go to the theater every now and then.
di solito
usually
Di solito mi sveglio presto.
I usually wake up early.
Adverbs of Frequency (Avverbi di Frequenza)
- Maria va ______ in palestra. (sempre / tardi)
- Maria always goes to the gym.
- Non ho ______ viaggiato fuori dall’Italia. (mai / spesso)
- I have never traveled outside of Italy.
- Mangiamo ______ in quel ristorante perché ci piace molto. (spesso / raramente)
- We often eat at that restaurant because we like it a lot.
- ______ faccio colazione al bar. (Qualche volta / mai)
- Sometimes I have breakfast at the café.
- Non vado ______ al mare perché non mi piace. (mai / ogni tanto)
- I never go to the beach because I don’t like it.
Adverbs of Manner (Avverbi di Modo)
These adverbs describe how an action is performed. In Italian, many adverbs of manner end in -mente, similar to the English -ly.
Italian Adverb
English Translation
Example Sentence
Translation
bene
well
Lui canta bene.
He sings well.
male
badly
Ieri hanno giocato male.
They played badly yesterday.
velocemente
quickly
Lei parla molto velocemente.
She speaks very quickly.
lentamente
slowly
Il treno è partito lentamente.
The train left slowly.
attentamente
carefully
Loro ascoltano attentamente l’insegnante.
They listen carefully to the teacher.
fortunatamente
fortunately
Fortunatamente, non è successo niente.
Fortunately, nothing happened.
recentemente
recently
Recentemente ho cambiato lavoro.
I recently changed jobs.
Adverbs of Manner (Avverbi di Modo)
- Il professore spiega la lezione ______. (bene / velocemente)
- The professor explains the lesson well.
- Ho fatto il compito ______, per non sbagliare. (attentamente / spesso)
- I did the homework carefully, so as not to make mistakes.
- Lui corre sempre ______ durante la partita. (lentamente / velocemente)
- He always runs quickly during the game.
- Fortunatamente, siamo arrivati ______ all’aeroporto. (lentamente / in tempo)
- Fortunately, we arrived on time at the airport.
- La macchina è partita ______ per la gara. (rapidamente / male)
- The car started quickly for the race.
Forming Adverbs with -mente
In Italian, many adverbs of manner are formed by adding -mente to the feminine form of adjectives. This is similar to adding -ly in English.
How to Form -mente Adverbs
- Take the feminine singular form of an adjective.
- Add -mente to it.
Adjective (Feminine Form)
Adverb (-mente Form)
English Translation
lento (slow)
lentamente
slowly
veloce (fast)
velocemente
quickly
attento (careful)
attentamente
carefully
fortunato (fortunate)
fortunatamente
fortunately
Practice Activities
Mixed Adverbs Exercise
- Il film inizia ______, dobbiamo sbrigarci! (adesso / poi)
- The movie is starting now, we need to hurry!
- ______, ho trovato un lavoro nuovo. (recentemente / spesso)
- Recently, I found a new job.
- Metti il libro ______ sullo scaffale. (lì / dentro)
- Put the book there on the shelf.
- La torta è venuta ______, hai seguito la ricetta? (bene / tardi)
- The cake turned out well, did you follow the recipe?
- Non ho ______ fatto un viaggio così lungo. (mai / velocemente)
- I have never taken such a long trip.
Activity 1: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct adverb to complete the sentences:
- Ho ______ mangiato la cena.
(già, ancora, spesso)
→ I have already eaten dinner. - Non ho ______ visitato la città.
(ancora, già, sempre)
→ I haven’t visited the city yet. - Vado ______ al parco.
(spesso, lontano, velocemente)
→ I often go to the park. - Lei abita qui ______.
(sempre, vicino, qui)
→ She lives near here. - Hai parlato con Luca ______?
(sempre, recentemente, mai)
→ Have you spoken to Luca recently?
Activity 2: Match the Adverbs
Match the Italian adverb to its correct English translation.
Italian Adverb
English Translation
adesso
now
mai
never
velocemente
quickly
qualche volta
sometimes
lì
there
Activity 3: Translate the Sentences
Translate the following sentences into Italian using the correct adverb.
- “I never eat meat.”
- “The bus hasn’t arrived yet.”
- “We go to the cinema every now and then.”
- “They recently moved to Italy.”
- “He always wakes up early.”
Practice Activities
Activity 1: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct adverb (già, ancora, spesso, qualche volta, mai, recentemente) to complete the sentences.
- Non ho ______ visitato Roma.
→ I have never visited Rome. - Ho ______ visto quel film.
→ I have already seen that movie. - Lei è ______ in ritardo al lavoro.
→ She is often late for work. - Non hai ______ comprato il pane?
→ Haven’t you bought the bread yet? - Vado al mare ______ d’estate.
→ I sometimes go to the beach in the summer.
Activity 2: Translate into Italian
Translate the following sentences into Italian using the appropriate adverb.
- “He still hasn’t called me.”
- “I often go to the gym.”
- “They have recently traveled to Italy.”
- “I’ve never eaten sushi.”
- “Sometimes, we play football in the park.”
Activity 3: Create Sentences
Use the following adverbs in sentences of your own: già, ancora, spesso, qualche volta, mai, recentemente.
Example:
- Ho già preparato la cena per stasera.
→ “I’ve already prepared dinner for tonight.”
Final Thoughts
Mastering Italian adverbs will greatly improve your communication skills. Whether you’re describing when, where, how, or how often something happens, these little words pack a punch in conversation. By practicing with già, ancora, spesso, and adverbs ending in -mente, you’ll become more confident in using Italian fluently.
Keep practicing the examples and activities above, and soon you’ll find yourself naturally incorporating adverbs into your everyday Italian speech!
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