L03: IRREGULAR ADVERBS OF MANNER
(Avverbi irregolari di modo)
Some adverbs of manner are irregular in that they (a) do not stem from any corresponding adjective in the way that adverbs ending –mente do (see Adverbs of Manner), (b) take the masculine form of the adjective, or (c) have no relationship to an adjective.
1 Adverbs that do not stem from a corresponding adjective
Adjective: buono - (good); Adverb: bene - (well)
Adjective: cattivo, brutto - (bad); Adverb: male - (badly) *
* Note that there is no direct adverbial form of cattivo or brutto. In addition, although there is also malamente, it is more common to see male used as an adverb. Male is rarely used as an adjective and then only in idiomatic expressions.
Examples:
Adjective:
Angelo è un buon cantante
Angelo is a good singer
Adverb:
Angelo canta bene
Angelo sings well
Adjective:
È stata una brutta sera per le squadre inglesi
It was a bad night for the English teams
Adverb:
Le squadre inglesi hanno fatto male ieri sera
The English teams did badly last night
2 Adverbs that take the masculine form of the adjective
Some adverbs are simply the same as the masculine adjective, for example piano (softly, gently), forte (fast, loud). Be aware, however, that as an adjective piano means flat, level, clear, simple, but not soft or gentle. Also be aware that where forte means strong, hard, powerful, then the adverbial form can either be forte or fortemente.
Examples:
Là fuori, il vento bisbigliava piano tra gli alberi
Outside, the wind whispered softly through the trees
Mio zio va forte
My uncle drives fast (quickly)
3 Adverbs that have no relationship to an adjective
There are some adverbs that do not have any corresponding adjective, or where the adverbial meaning differs to that of the adjective. Examples are:
volentieri - willingly
adagio - slowly, carefully, gently, softly
altrimenti - otherwise
Examples:
Claudio ha accetato volentieri la responsabilità di piantare le nuove rose
Claudio willingly accepted responsibility for planting the new roses
Gianfranco parlava adagio come se volesse soppesare ogni parola
Gianfranco was speaking slowly, as if he wanted to weigh up each word
Penso che dobbiamo finire ora, altrimenti staremo qui tutta la notte
I think we should finish now, otherwise we will be here all night
L03: IRREGULAR ADVERBS OF MANNER
- Peter
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L03: IRREGULAR ADVERBS OF MANNER
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Peter
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