10K+ students - 4.8/5
Learn with a teacher Learning materials included Practise conversation

Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to form Italian adverbs ending in -mente from adjectives like lento (slow) to lentamente, veloce (fast) to velocemente, and chiaro (clear) to chiaramente. Practice with examples such as "Parla lentamente" and "Corre velocemente."
Avverbio (Adverb)Descrizione (Description)Esempio (Example)
LentamenteLenta + menteParla lentamente. (Speak slowly.)
VelocementeVeloce + menteCorre velocemente. (Runs quickly.)
ChiaramenteChiara + menteSpiega chiaramente. (Explains clearly.)
RapidamenteRapida + menteRisponde gentilmente. (Answers kindly.)

Exercise 1: Gli avverbi in -mente

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

rapidamente, velocemente, gentilmente, lentamente, silenziosamente, chiaramente, facilmente, automaticamente

1. Rapido:
La lavastoviglie lava ... i piatti.
(The dishwasher quickly washes the dishes.)
2. Silenzioso:
Entra ... quando tutti stanno dormendo.
(Enter silently when everyone is sleeping.)
3. Automatico:
Il microonde si spegne ... dopo un minuto.
(The microwave turns off automatically after one minute.)
4. Lento:
Parla ... quando spiega come usare il computer.
(Speak slowly when explaining how to use the computer.)
5. Chiaro:
Ha spiegato ... come accendere il termosifone.
(He explained clearly how to turn on the radiator.)
6. Gentile:
Ha risposto ... alla domanda sull'aspirapolvere.
(He kindly answered the question about the vacuum cleaner.)
7. Veloce:
Il forno si riscalda ... per cucinare in fretta.
(The oven heats up quickly to cook fast.)
8. Facile:
Ho usato ... la lavatrice.
(I used the washing machine easily.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. La lavatrice gira ________ per non rovinare i vestiti.

(The washing machine spins ________ to avoid damaging the clothes.)

2. Il frullatore funziona ________ durante la preparazione del frullato.

(The blender works ________ during the smoothie preparation.)

3. L’aspirapolvere pulisce ________ tutte le stanze.

(The vacuum cleaner cleans ________ all the rooms.)

4. Il forno riscalda ________ il cibo.

(The oven heats the food ________.)

5. Il frigorifero si chiude ________ per non fare rumore.

(The refrigerator closes ________ to avoid making noise.)

6. Il microonde riscalda ________ la cena dopo il lavoro.

(The microwave heats the dinner ________ after work.)

Understanding Italian Adverbs Ending in -mente

This lesson focuses on a specific group of Italian adverbs that end with the suffix -mente. These adverbs are derived directly from adjectives and are used to describe how an action is performed, similar to English adverbs ending in "-ly." Recognizing and forming these adverbs is essential for improving fluency and expressing actions more precisely.

How -mente Adverbs Are Formed

The formation is straightforward: take an adjective, usually the feminine singular form, and add -mente. For example:

  • lenta + mente = lentamente (slowly)
  • veloce + mente = velocemente (quickly)
  • chiara + mente = chiaramente (clearly)
  • rapida + mente = rapidamente (rapidly)

Usage and Examples

These adverbs describe the manner of an action and answer the question "How?" For instance:

  • Parla lentamente. (He/she speaks slowly.)
  • Corre velocemente. (He/she runs quickly.)
  • Spiega chiaramente. (He/she explains clearly.)
  • Risponde gentilmente. (He/she answers kindly.)

Important Highlights

  • The base adjective must be in its feminine singular form before adding -mente.
  • Not all adjectives form adverbs with -mente, but many do, especially those describing qualities.
  • Adverbs ending in -mente modify verbs to provide detail on the manner of the action.

Differences Between Italian and English

While English usually adds "-ly" to form adverbs from adjectives (e.g., slow → slowly), Italian specifically requires using the feminine singular form of the adjective plus -mente. For example, "slow" is lento (masculine), but the adverb is formed from lenta + mente, resulting in lentamente. Also, some English adverbs have irregular forms, whereas Italian adverbs ending in -mente follow a clear pattern.

Useful Phrases and Words

  • lentamente — slowly
  • velocemente — quickly, fast
  • chiaramente — clearly
  • rapidamente — rapidly
  • gentilmente — kindly, politely

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

Profile Picture

Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

University_Logo

Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 03:24