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L’avverbio/ the adverb.

An adverb is an invariable word placed next to another word, to determine its meaning better or to complete the meaning of entire sentences.

The adverb “modifies” the meaning of:

  1. A verb: Cammina molto (walks a lot)
  2. An adjective: Molto felice (very happy)
  3. An adverb: Molto volentieri (very willingly)
  4. A noun: La quasi totalità (almost the whole)
  5. A phrase: Sicuramente, ci andrò domani (definitely, I will go there tomorrow)

The formation of the adverb

Based on their formation adverbs are defined as simple, compound, and derivative. To these three different typologies, we add that of adverbial phrases.

1. Simple adverbs

They are made up of a single word, which does not derive from others: this is the case, for example, of (forse, già, più, dove, lì, tardi, presto, mai, bene, male, così).

2. Compound adverbs

They are formed by the union of several different elements, still clearly distinguishable from each other even if they constitute a single word. For example:

  • Indietro (in+dietro).
  • Dappertutto (da+per+tutto).
  • Almeno (al+meno).

3. Derived adverbs

Derive from another word, to which a suffix is added. The most used suffix in forming an adverb is -mente, which is usually combined with an adjective.

1. The suffix -mente is added to the ending of the feminine -a with adjectives ending in -o (i.e. first class).

  • Raro > rara (rare) > raramente (rarely).
  • Pratico > pratica (practical) > praticamente (practically).
  • Meraviglioso > meravigliosa (wonderful) > meravigliosamente (wonderfully).
  • Chiaro > chiara (clear)> chiaramente (clearly).
  • Spontaneo > spontanea (spontaneous)> spontaneamente (spontaneously).

2. No change is made with adjectives ending in -e.

  • Veloce (fast) > velocemente (quickly).
  • Prudente (prudent) > prudentemente (prudently).

The final vowel preceded by the consonant i falls.

  • Facile (easy) > facilmente (easily)
  • Docile (docile) > docilmente (docilely)
  • Amabile (amiable) > amabilmente (amiably)

If the adjective ends in -le or -re, the final e is eliminated.

  • Banale (banal) > banalmente (banallly).
  • Uguale (equal) > ugualmente (equally).
  • Locale (local)> localmente (locally).

Some other rare adverbs are derived from adjectives ending in ro and lo where the final o is eliminated.

  • Benevolo (benevolent) > benevolmente (benevolently).
  • Leggero (light) > leggermente (slightly).
  • Malevolo (malevolent)> malevolmente (malevolently).
  • Ridicolo (ridiculous) > ridicolmente (ridiculously).

Among the adverbs formed with the suffix –mente there are two exceptions: parimenti (derived from pari) and altrimenti (derived from altro) have the suffix in –menti instead of in –mente.

The suffix –mente is also used in the formation of new adverbs, such as informaticamente, telematicamente, etc.

The other way to form derived adverbs is to add the suffix -oni to a verb or noun. Most of them are formed from a verb, while two derive from a noun.

  • (V) Ciondolare > ciondoloniy.
  • (V) Tentare > tentoni.
  • (V) Penzolare > penzoloni.
  • (V) Ruzzolare > ruzzoloni.
  • (V) Tastare > tastoni.
  • (N) Bocca > bocconi.
  • (N) Ginocchio > ginocchioni.

The adverbs formed with this suffix are few and crystallized (there are no new words formed like this): they indicate a specific position of some parts of the body or a certain way of moving.

Some adverbs in -oni involve the construction with the preposition a: a tentoni (gropingly), a tastoni (gropingly).

4. Adverbial phrases

Adverbial phrases are made up of a set of two or more words arranged in a fixed sequence which, in meaning and function, are equivalent to adverbs:

  • A poco a poco / a mano a mano (little by little).
  • A stento (Hardly).
  • Né più né meno (Neither more nor less).
  • Così così (So so)
  • Per caso, per forza, per amore.
  • (By chance, by force, by love)
  • Di tanto in tanto (Occasionally).
  • Di sopra, di qui, di continuo, di regola, di rado, di solito, di norma, da lontano.
  • Above, from here, continuously, as a rule, rarely, usually, as a rule, from afar.
  • D’un tratto (Suddenly).
  • Una volta (Once).
  • All’incirca, all’improvviso (Roughly, suddenly).
  • Alla meno peggio (At least worst).
  • Alla meglio, alla grande (At best, at best).
  • Lo stesso (The same).
  • Terra terra (Down to earth).
  • Gioco forza (Strength game).
  • In fretta (In a hurry) etc.