What is an Adverb?
In linguistics, adverbs are classified as modifiers because they modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They are essential in language as they enrich communication by providing additional details about actions, circumstances, and attributes.
Adverbs allow language users to clarify and emphasize the meaning of sentences, making their study both necessary and fascinating. I like to think of them as the “salt” of the language because they are essential for bringing out the full flavor of our expressions.
There are several types of adverbs, but here I will focus on adverbs of time in Italian. Before diving into the explanation, have a look at Italian adverbs in general, to know rules, exceptions, and use.
Adverbs of Time
Adverbs of time are used to describe when an action takes place. They provide temporal and chronological context in conversations.
As a linguist, something that I love about adverbs is that they are, so to say, inherently deictic. This means that their interpretation depends on the context, as it is anchored to the moment of speaking or another reference point.
Adverbs of time can be classified in:
- Frequency adverbs: they modify the verb by indicating habitual or non-habitual actions, like sempre (always) or mai (never).
- Durative adverbs: they emphasize the temporal extent of an event and are often used with the imperfect tense in Italian. An example is a lungo (for a long time)
- Relative temporal adverbs: they establish temporal sequencing between events, crucial for narrative coherence. Examples are prima (before) and dopo (after)
- Aspectual adverbs: they refer to the initiation, continuation, or termination of states relative to a reference time. For instance, già (already) or ancora (still/yet).
Of course you do not need to remember all these terms, but I think it is important that you know that there is always a logic behind language.
Italian Adverbs
Oggi
Oggi means “today” and it is commonly used with the present tense or the future tense when referring to events later in the day.
Oggi vado al mercato.
Today I am going to the market.
Ieri
Ieri means “yesterday” and it is typically used with the past tense, such as the passato prossimo (present perfect) or imperfetto (imperfect).
Ieri ho visto un bel film.
Yesterday I watched a good movie.
Domani
Domani means “tomorrow” and it is used with the future tense.
Domani sarà una giornata impegnativa.
Tomorrow will be a busy day.
Ora or Adesso
Ora and adesso mean “now” and it is used to indicate actions occurring at the moment of speaking. It is often used with the present tense or present progressive.
Ora devo studiare.
Now I have to study.
Subito
Subito means “immediately” and it is used to express that an action needs to be done right away. It can be associated with the imperative tense for commands or the present tense for immediate actions.
Vieni qui subito!
Come here immediately!
Presto
Presto means “soon” and it is often associated with the future tense.
Presto avrò una famiglia e sarò felice.
Soon I will have a family and I will be happy.
Tardi
Tardi means “late” and it can be used with the present tense, future tense, or past tense.
Sono arrivato tardi alla riunione.
I arrived late at the meeting.
Prima
Prima means “before,” and it is used to indicate that an action occurs earlier than another action or time. Keep in mind that if you use it to relate two actions, it must be followed by the preposition di + the present infinitive of the verb.
It is commonly used with the present tense, past tense, or future tense in relation to another event.
Mangio sempre prima di andare in palestra.
I always eat before going to the gym.
Dopo
Dopo means “after” and it is used to indicate that an action takes place later than another action or time. Keep in mind that if you use it to relate two actions, it must be followed by the past infinitive of the verb. In this context, it is very similar to the English “after doing…“.
It is commonly paired with the present tense, past tense, or future tense.
Andrò a fare la spesa dopo il lavoro.
I will go shopping after work.
Check how to use prima and dopo in Italian!
Sempre
Sempre means “always” and it is typically used with the present tense or imperfect tense when describing habitual actions.
Lui è sempre in ritardo.
He is always late.
Mai
Mai means “never” and it is often used with the present tense, past tense, or future tense in negative sentences. Remember that Italian requires the double negation!
Non sono mai stato in Spagna.
I have never been to Spain.
Spesso
Spesso means “often” and it is typically used with the present tense or imperfect tense for habitual actions.
Spesso andiamo al cinema nel fine settimana.
We often go to the cinema on weekends.
Raramente
Raramente means “rarely” and it is commonly used with the present tense or imperfect tense.
Raramente esco di sera.
I rarely go out in the evening.
Già
Già means “already” and it is is often used with the present perfect. Be careful to its placement: it must always be put between the auxiliary verb and the past participle!
Ho già finito i compiti.
I have already finished the homework.
Ancora
Ancora means “still” and it is typically used with the present tense.
Sei ancora a casa?
Are you still at home?
Sono ancora a lavoro in realtà!
I am still at work actually!
Non Ancora (Not Yet)
Non ancora means “not yet” and it is commonly used with the present perfect or present tense. Also here, make sure you always put it between the auxiliary verb and the past participle!
Non ho ancora finito.
I haven’t finished yet.
Appena
Appena means “just” and it is often used with the present perfect. Also here, make sure you always put it between the auxiliary verb and the past participle!
Sono appena arrivato.
I have just arrived.
Have a look at the Italian days of the week to use them to express time!
