We’ve been learning some advanced phrases that can spruce up anyone’s vocabulary,
but if you really want to sound like a native Italian speaker, you must be familiar with
specific adverbial phrases, or locuzioni avverbiali.
What are these?
They are essentially some idiomatic expressions made with two or more words that work like
an adverb.
If we don’t recall our grammar, adverbs are words that modify a verb or adjective
so as to show degree, manner, place, or time.
So in the sentence “He runs quickly”, quickly is an adverb that modifies the verb
“runs”, telling precisely how he runs.
Adverbs are usually single words and they are absolutely fine to use when speaking,
but they don’t give any particular color or spunk to the sentence.
On the other hand, these adverbial phrases do, and that’s why they are so common among
Italians, since Italians love to be very animated when they talk.
These phrases can be classified in different categories according to the question that
they answer.
First, locuzioni di tempo.
These refer to when a certain action is happening.
Then, locuzioni di modo.
How is this thing happening?
Lastly, locuzioni di quantità.
This relates to how much something is happening.
Are you ready to learn?
Ok, so let’s go through some examples where we will point out a particular adverb and
what it means, followed by an adverbial phrase that can be used in its place.
Disordinatamente means randomly.
But we can also say: alla rinfusa.
Velocemente means quickly, and can sometimes imply wildly.
But we can also say: all’impazzata.
Dettagliatamente means in detail, but another option is: per filo e per segno.
Segretamente means secretly, or on the sly.
But we can also say: di soppiatto.
Distrattamente means carelessly, but you can say: alla carlona, or a vanvera.
Approssimativamente means shoddily, but we can say: alla bell’e meglio.
Now here are a bunch more in rapid fire.
And with that we have covered a large number of adverbial phrases that you can pepper into
your conversations to really sound Italian.