Adjectives as adverbs and vice versa

Von Sigrid Lee

An adverb modifies, or describes, a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. But in Italian (as in other languages), we sometimes mix and match. Sometimes we use an adjective like an adverb and vice versa. Let's look at a few of the common adjectives that fall into this category.

One of these cases is the adjective leggero (light, lightweight). It might be more correct to say Guarda come vola in modo leggero, (look how she is flying, as light as a feather). Or we could consider leggera (lightweight) as modifying the noun, in this case, una farfalle (a butterfly).

Guarda come vola leggera.

See how weightlessly it's flying.

Caption 19, Gatto Mirò EP 10 Piantiamo un albero
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Another is forte. It's basically an adjective, as in the following example.

Orfeo era... aveva un carattere forte.

Orfeo was... He had a strong personality.

Caption 35, Il Commissario Manara S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 4
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But forte is used quite often as an adverb, especially after a verb. In the following example, it's translated as "great," also primarily an adjective, but we use it as an adverb, too.

Sto andando forte, eh?

I'm doing great, right?

Caption 24, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 12
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Fortemente exists as an adverb and is used in some contexts, especially before the adjective it happens to be modifying.

Io non le ho prese. -Non lo so, ma sei fortemente indiziata! -Ma!

I didn't take them. -I don't know, but you're a very strong suspect [strongly suspected]. -Well!

Caption 62, Il Commissario Manara S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 4
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But it's very common to use the forte when it comes to modifying verbs. Fortemente would sound wrong.

Dai papà, alza la testa e fai resistenza mentre io ti spingo giù, ispirando forte.

Come on Daddy, lift your head and press while I push you down, inhaling deeply.

Captions 18-19, Provaci ancora prof! S2E3 Dietro la porta - Part 22
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Like forte, veloce is often used in place of the adverb velocemente.

Dixi l'aveva soprannominata saetta, perché andava veloce come un fulmine.

Dixi nicknamed it "Saetta" (lightning bolt), because it went fast like lightning.

Captions 8-9, Dixiland In bicicletta
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E perché, vado troppo veloce?

And why? Am I going too fast?

Caption 56, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 3
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Oh cowboy, se tu cambi obiettivo così velocemente, la selvaggina scappa!

Oh, cowboy, if you change your target so quickly, the game gets away!

Caption 35, Il Commissario Manara S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro - Part 6
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Piano is the opposite of both forte and veloce. There is no specific adverbial version, but it can be used both as an adjective and an adverb. Piano has different meanings, so it's not always clear, even from the context, which meaning it has.

Ciao. -A presto. Vai piano.

Bye. -See you soon. Go slowly.

Captions 48-49, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 6
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Luca, non senza autorizzazione! -Shh. Parla piano.

Luca, not without authorization! -Shh, speak softly.

Captions 46-47, Il Commissario Manara S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde - Part 12
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Let's keep in mind that adjectives used as adjectives need to agree with the nouns they modify, but when they are used as adverbs, they stay just the way they are. In the following example, forte is used as an adjective to describe i sentimenti (the feelings).

Spero solo che anche i suoi sentimenti siano altrettanto forti.

I only hope that his feelings are as strong as yours.

Caption 12, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 11
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Lo spada è uno dei pesci più veloci esistenti,

Swordfish is one of the fastest fish in existence.

Caption 10, Linea Blu Sicilia - Part 3
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Some cases don't seem to fit the pattern. In this final example, veloce seems to be used as an adverb, but its plural ending agrees with the plural noun like an adjective.

Poi dice che sono gli etiopi che corrono veloci, eh.

Then they say that the Ethiopians are the ones who run fast, huh.

Caption 42, Sposami EP 6 - Part 4
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