Unit 103 Guidebook: use adverbs

KEY PHRASES

Use adverbs

L'insegnante lo spiega chiaramente.
The teacher explains it clearly.
La nostra insegnante ride raramente.
Our teacher rarely laughs.
Perché non fai i tuoi compiti immediatamente?
Why don't you do your homework immediately?
Sono talmente stanco che non posso studiare.
I am so tired that I cannot study.
TIP

Certamente!

What do exactly, easily, and recently have in common? That's right! They all describe actions, and they all end in ‑ly! Words ending in ‑mente in Italian are basically the same — they always describe actions.

Non so esattamente qual è il numero.
I do not know exactly which number it is.
È praticamente impossibile.
It is practically impossible.
Generalmente mangiamo a tavola tutti insieme.
Generally we all eat at the table together.

Italian words that end in ‑mente never change. Isn't it awesome?

TIP

Neanch'io

You've already seen the word anche, which means too or also.

Oggi fortunatamente c'eri anche tu.
Today fortunately you were there too.

Now let's look at neanche, which means either. You'll often use neanche in sentences that include non.

Non ha vinto neanche lei.
She did not win either.
Non l'abbiamo capito neanche noi.
We did not understand it either.

Keep in mind that neanche loses its final ‑e before io and combines with it.

Non so neanch'io la ragione.
I do not know the reason either.
Non lo dico neanch'io.
I do not say it either.
TIP

Ecco!

Here is a word that you will hear a lot in Italian: ecco! Ecco means here is and you can use it when showing or giving things to someone.

Ecco il suo caffè.
Here is your coffee.
Ecco la fattoria dove ha vissuto.
Here is the farm where he lived.