Where to put adverbs - ADVERBS - Easy Learning Italian Grammar

Easy Learning Italian Grammar (2011)

ADVERBS

5. Where to put adverbs

1 Adverbs with verbs

You normally put adverbs immediately after the verb.

Non posso farlo adesso.	I can’t do it now.
Parli bene l’italiano.	You speak Italian well.
Non torno più.	I’m not coming back.

If you want to emphasize the adverb you can put it at the beginning of the sentence.

Ora non posso.	I can’t do it just now.
Prima non lo sapevo.	I didn’t know that before.

Tip

In English adverbs can come between the subject and the verb: It often changes. Adverbs can NEVER come in this position in Italian.

Marco viene sempre.	Marco always comes.
Di solito vince Jessica.	Jessica usually wins.

When you are using adverbs such as mai (meaning never), sempre (meaning always), già (meaning already), più (meaning again) and appena (meaning just) with verbs in the perfect tense, you put the adverb between the two parts of the verb:

Non sono mai stata a Milano.	I’ve never been to Milan.
È sempre venuto con me.	He always came with me.
L’ho già letto.	I’ve already read it.

For more information on the Perfect tense, see page 108.

2 Adverbs with adjectives and adverbs

Put the adverb in front of the adjective or other adverb, as you do in English.

Fa troppo freddo.	It’s too cold.
Vai più piano.	Go more slowly.

Key points

Some adverbs are very common in Italian, and it’s a good idea to learn as many as possible.

you usually put adverbs after the verb.

If you want to emphasize the adverb, you put it at the beginning of the sentence.

Adverbs go before adjectives or other adverbs.