ADDIRITTURA - Meaning and use

In this lesson I'm gonna explain what ADDIRITTURA means. In other words, I'm gonna explain how to use the adverb "addirittura" and what it can mean.

If you learned Italian as a foreign language and are unsure about the meaning of the word "addirittura", you've come to the right place!

I've added Italian and English subtitles. If you prefer, you can activate them and watch this lesson with subtitles on.

Like I said, in this lesson I'll give you some examples with the word ADDIRITTURA and I'll explain how to use it.

I did notice that many people who learned Italian as a second language have trouble with this word.

Let's not waste our time and jump straight into the first example!

"Giovanni is acquainted with many famous people. Conosce addirittura il sindaco".

What does "addirittura" mean in this sentence?

Basically, "addirittura" places emphasis on the accompanying word and points out that it is something extraordinary.

I can say "Conosce addirittura il sindaco", or alternatively I can also say "Conosce persino il sindaco", or "Conosce perfino il sindaco".

What's understood? Normally, one isn't acquainted with the mayor. So this circumstance is presented as something exceptional.

But let's do another example!

I could say: "The situation was very serious. È intervenuta addirittura la polizia".

Again, "addirittura" places emphasis on the word it refers to and points out that something is extraordinary.

I can say "È intervenuta addirittura la polizia", or I can say "È intervenuta perfino la polizia".

What's understood? It's understood that the police don't typically intervene, so the word "addirittura" points out that this is an exceptional situation.

Another example could be this: "Suo padre le ha regalato addirittura due macchine".

Again, "addirittura" stresses the word or phrase it accompanies. In this case, ADDIRITTURA refers to "due macchine", therefore it points this out.

Why does this individual say "addirittura due macchine"? Because they want to stress that this is not normal, this is something very unusual, because normal people don't typically give two cars as a present. If anything, they give only one car.

Another example could be this: "This topic is so important che gli ho dedicato addirittura tre video lezioni".

Again, the word "addirittura" points out that this is something very unusual. So in this kind of sentence it is quite possibly understood that I usually dedicate one lesson to each topic, but this topic is so important that I've dedicated three lessons to it. Meaning that this is an exceptional event.

Another example could be this: "Le origini di questa famiglia risalgono addirittura al Medioevo".

Again, "addirittura" places emphasis on the accompanying word. And in this case it is implied: these are exceptional distant origins, going back "addirittura al Medioevo". So the assumption is that families usually have more recent origins. However, this is an exceptional case, a very unusual case, and the origins are much older.

Another example could be this: "He walked so slowly, che sembrava addirittura fermo".

Well, in this case I could as well say: "He walked so slowly, che sembrava fermo". That is, I could easily remove the word "addirittura". The meaning wouldn't change too much. It's just that "addirittura" reinforces the idea that this is an extraordinary, exceptional feature.

Another example could be: "Ha scritto addirittura al Presidente della Repubblica".

In this case too, "addirittura" stresses that this fact is exceptional, because people usually don't end up writing to the President of the Republic.

If I say "Ha scritto al Presidente della Repubblica" without "addirittura", that's a neutral statement.

By contrast, if I say "Ha scritto addirittura al Presidente della Repubblica", I point out that this is something exceptional.

Another example with the word "addirittura" could be this: "According to some guru experts in Italian language learning, imparare la grammatica è addirittura dannoso".

Again, in this case too the adverb "addirittura" places emphasis on the accompanying word.

Another example could be this: "Non ha soltanto vinto, ha addirittura battuto il record mondiale".

In this sentence too "addirittura" points out the fact that this is an exceptional circumstance, an exceptional event.

Another example sentence could be: "Non è stata molto bene, è andata addirittura in ospedale".

You see? In this case I could as well say: "Non è stata molto bene, è andata in ospedale". That is, I could remove the adverb "addirittura".

However, what's the difference between "è andata in ospedale" and "è andata addirittura in ospedale"?

If I say "è andata in ospedale", that's a neutral statement. By contrast, if I say "è andata addirittura in ospedale", I present this event as something exceptional.

In addition to that, the adverb ADDIRITTURA can also be used alone. In this case it has a slightly different meaning.

I'll give you an example right away!

Let's pretend that someone told me: "I have decided to study Italian eight hours a day".

Well, to this person I could reply: "Addirittura!".

So our dialogue would be like so:

- I have decided to study Italian eight hours a day.

- Addirittura!

What does ADDIRITTURA mean in this case? In this case, "addirittura" is a reply expressing surprise or puzzlement.

I'll give you another example!

- If she comes late tomorrow as well, I will fire her!

- Addirittura!

In this case too "addirittura" is a reply showing puzzlement or surprise. Basically, the individual saying "Addirittura!" is surprised. For example, in this case this person quite possibly said "Addirittura!" because they found what the other speaker said to be excessive.

I'm gonna give you another example!

"According to some gurus, it's better to learn Italian automatically, because learning grammar is harmful".

Well, if someone tells me that, I could answer: "Addirittura!"

What does "Addirittura" mean? It's a reply with which I show my puzzlement, that is, in other words, the fact that I have doubts about that.

I'll give you another example!

- Among the invitees there was also the mayor.

- Addirittura!

Again, the person saying "Addirittura" is showing their surprise, that is, they got surprised by this fact.

Another example micro dialogue could be this:

- He says he learned Italian in 7 days.

- Addirittura!

Well, in this case the second person, the person who said "Addirittura", has expressed their puzzlement.

Alright! I hope that the meaning of the word "addirittura" is clear!

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