Adverbs of time: Italian grammar lesson 35

Adverbs of time are essential elements in constructing sentences that convey when an action occurs. This grammar post  delves into adverbs like always, never, still, already, just, and their Italian counterparts.

Discover their usage in Italian sentences, their placement with verbs, and in relation to negative words.

Let’s learn how to use them correctly!

Start here

You’ll receive my free resources together with my best offers! Opt out at any time.

Create a free lifetime account to get access to all the free lesson and other resources.

I’ll take you to your shiny new student dashboard.

Summary

This article describes Italian adverbs of time and their usage within sentences.

Two key adverbs, sempre (always) and mai (never), serve as opposites. Notably, they follow the verb in the present tense. However, in the passato prossimo tense, they are placed between the auxiliary verbs and the past participle. Mai is typically preceded by the negative word non.

Ancora refers to ongoing actions in the present tense or something yet to happen in passato prossimo, preceded by non. Già signifies actions that have already occurred and is used in positive sentences with the passato prossimo tense.

Appena translates to just, indicating an action that happened a moment ago. It is employed with the passato prossimo tense.

What are adverbs of time?

Let’s have a look at some sentences and try to spot them.

Non ho ancora fatto la spesa.

I haven’t done the groceries yet.

Loro vanno sempre al mare d’estate.

They always go to the beach in the summer.

Ho appena visto tua mamma.

I’ve just seen your mum.

Adverbs of time Italian

How to use always and never?

These two adverbs are very common and are opposites:

  • Sempre: always
  • Mai: never

One important thing to remember is that both sempre and mai go after the verb in the present tense, unlike in English.

However, they go between the auxiliary verb essere or stare  and the past participle with the passato prossimo (like io ho mangiato, lui ha visto).

Also, mai is usually preceded by another negative word: non. Have a look at the examples below and pay attention to what we just said:

Noi mangiamo sempre prima delle 20.

We always eat before 8 pm.

Laura non viene mai in vacanza con noi.

Laura never comes on holiday with us.

Non sono mai andata in Russia.

I’ve never been to Russia.

Loro ci hanno sempre detto la verità.

They’ve always told us the truth.

Never always in Italian

How to use still and already?

These two adverbs of time are also opposites.

  • Ancora: still
  • Non…ancora: not…yet
  • Già: already

Ancora is usually used to talk about things that are still happening, so in this case, we use it with the present tense.

We can also use ancora with the passato prossimo and it goes between the auxiliary verb essere or stare and the past participle.

In this case, it is used for something that hasn’t happened yet, and this is why it is proceeded by the negative word non. Già is also used with the passato prossimo.

It is used in positive sentences for something that has already happened. Here’s a quick recap:

  • Ancora: for something that is still happening (present tense).
  • Non…ancora: for something that hasn’t happened yet (passato prossimo).
  • Già: for something that has already happened (passato prossimo).

As you can probably tell, they behave very similarly to their English equivalents. Here are some examples:

Io ho ancora fame.

I’m still hungry.

Noi non abbiamo ancora mangiato.

We haven’t eaten yet.

Sei già stata in Spagna?

Have you already been to Spain?

Already still Italian

Practice with Quizlet

Here's a set of flashcards and quizzes to practice this grammar topic.

How to use just?

Free Guide
How to Learn Languages Fast

And there there’s appena which means just, as in a very short time ago.

  • Appena: just.

It is used with the passato prossimo since it refers to something that has just happened.

Let’s have a look at some sentences:

Ho appena finito di lavorare.

I’ve just finished working.

Hanno appena chiuso.

They’ve just closed.

Mia sorella è appena andata via.

My sister has just left.

Italian adverbs of time

Still translating in your head? Wanna speak Italian for real? Check out Stefano's courses to think directly in Italian and become fluent fast!

FAQs on Adverbs of time: Italian grammar lesson 35

What are adverbs in Italian?

Adverbs in Italian (gli avverbi) are used to add meaning to verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They serve a similar purpose as in English, providing clarification, qualification, or quantification.

What are adverbs of time?

Adverbs of time provide information regarding the timing of an action. They are not affected by conjugation and remain in the same form regardless of the context. Additionally, adverbs of time can inform us when an action occurred, how long it lasted, and how often it took place.

Stefano

Italian language tutor, course author, and polyglot. After learning 12 languages, I can tell you that we all master languages by listening and mimicking. With my method, you'll be speaking Italian from Lesson 1.

Follow me to fluency​

Receive my free resources once a week together with my best offers! 

Create a free lifetime account to get access to all the free lesson and other resources.

I’ll take you to your shiny new student dashboard.

2 Responses

  1. Curious if ‘appena’ and ‘giusto’ might be interchangeable in the context of ‘just’….. Ho appena comprato una macchina. Ho giusto comprato una macchina.
    Thx

    1. Ciao Donald!

      Appena has several meanings depending on the sentence and the context.

      1. It means “recently” and is used with compound verbs between the auxiliary and the past participle. An example: Ho appena bevuto una tazza di caffè.

      2. It means “when” or “in the moment which” and is followed by a verb in the indicative mood. For example: Appena finisco di registrare questo video, vado a fare la spesa!
      In this case a non can be added before appena and the sentence does not change meaning.

      3. It means “only”. For example: Dopo che avrò fatto la spesa, mi saranno rimasti appena pochi spiccioli…

      4. It can be used instead of “with difficulty”, “slightly”, or “very little”. For example: Stamattina c’era così tanta nebbia che riuscivo appena a camminare!

      5. If it is before time or place adverbs it means “immediately” or “right now”. For example: Il bar è appena dietro l’angolo.

      While giusto can be used as an adjective and adverb but only as an adverb it can be a synonym of appena.

      Please let me know if I solved your doubt or if you have more questions about these words.

Leave a Reply

Share:

Read more about Italian grammar lessons

Still translating in your head?

Wanna speak Italian for real? Check out Stefano’s courses to think directly in Italian and become fluent fast!
[mwai_chatbot_v2 id="support"]
Try my courses for free​
stefano thinkinitalian (3) s
How long to fluency?

Find out how long it will take you to master Italian!
Get on the right track in 3 minutes.

dolce vita logo

We're already friends!

Coming from Luca and Marina?
Here's a special deal for you!
Just tell me where I should send the coupon.

50% OFF
all language resources

We're already friends!

Coming from All Language Resources?
Here's a special deal for you!
Just tell me where I should send the coupon.

50% OFF
GRAB A COUPON NOW, REDEEM IT LATER
50% OFF

To receive free resources once a week together with my best offers, just tell me where to send everything. Opt out at any time.

Create a free lifetime account to get access to all the free lesson and other resources.

I’ll take you to your shiny new student dashboard.