For the most part, adverbs modify verbs (but as we will see below, they can also modify adjectives, e.g., molto bella, and other adverbs, e.g., molto velocemente). Adverbs in English frequently end in “-ly”. Adverbs in Italian frequently end in –mente:
English Adverb Italian Adverb
completely completamente
frequently frequentemente
normally normalmente
recently recentemente
fortunately fortunatamente
When your Italian adverb ends in –mente, it will frequently correspond to an Italian adjective.
· In order to form an adverb from an Italian adjective (if your Italian adjective ends in –o in its natural state), change the ending to -a and add -mente
rapido > rapida > rapidamente
completo > completa > completamente
· If you have a regular two-change adjective ending in –e, but not –re or –le (see the next point below) like intelligente or frequente, you can just add –mente to arrive at the correct form of the adverb:
intelligente > intelligentemente
frequente > frequentemente
· If your Italian adjective ends in -re or -le (generale, regolare, principale, ecc.), drop the final -e and add -mente
generale > generalmente
regolare > regolarmente
principale > principalmente
Non “-mente” adverbs
There are dozens of other Italian adverbs that do not end in -mente and some of these are much more commonly used than their –mente counterparts. However they do share the same qualities: they will usually modify a verb (or adjective, or another adverb) and they are all invariable, they never change their form. Here are some common ones:
bene well/ fine
male badly/ poorly
subito immediately/right away
piano slowly
meglio better
peggio worse
molto very
poco slightly
troppo too
spesso often
As mentioned above (in the introduction to 7.1), an adverb can also modify an adjective (sono molto cari = they are very expensive) or another adverb (lei parla molto bene = she speaks very well). More examples:
Sono troppo poveri. They are too poor.
La pizza è molto buona. The pizza is very good.
Le scarpe sono troppo strette . The shoes are too tight.
When an adverb modifies another adverb, e.g. molto bene, both are invariable, e.g.,
Lei parla troppo velocemente. She speaks too quickly.
Loro corrono molto lentamente. They run very slowly.