B1 · Joining sentences
Connectives: quindi, però, infatti
They link whole sentences and leave the verb where it is.
At a glance
- Remember
- infatti confirms, in realtà contradicts.
- Form
- quindi, perciòso, therefore
- Signal words
- quindi
- perciò
- però
- tuttavia
- invece
- infatti
- inoltre
- comunque
- eppure
- Trap
- Wrong:Tutti pensano che sia ricco, infatti non ha un euro.Right:Tutti pensano che sia ricco, in realtà non ha un euro.
Your turn
5 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.
The form
| so, therefore | quindi, perciò |
| consequently (formal) | dunque, pertanto |
| but | ma, però |
| however (formal) | tuttavia |
| on the other hand, whereas | invece |
| and yet | eppure |
| and sure enough; indeed | infatti |
| moreover | inoltre |
| anyway | comunque |
| actually, in reality | in realtà |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
quindi and perciò give the consequence.
Il treno è in ritardo, quindi arriviamo dopo le nove.The train is late, so we will arrive after nine.
però and tuttavia set up a contrast.
Il ristorante è caro, però si mangia bene.The restaurant is expensive, but the food is good.
infatti confirms what came before.
Sembrava stanco, e infatti è andato a letto presto.He seemed tired, and sure enough he went to bed early.
After the connective the word order stays normal.
Piove, perciò Marco resta a casa.It is raining, so Marco is staying at home.
Example sentences
Io prendo il treno, tu invece vieni in macchina.I am taking the train, whereas you are coming by car.
Ho studiato tanto, eppure non ho superato l’esame.I studied a lot, and yet I did not pass the exam.
L’appartamento è luminoso; inoltre costa poco.The flat is bright; moreover, it is cheap.
Non so se vengo. Comunque ti chiamo stasera.I do not know if I am coming. Anyway, I will call you this evening.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Infatti looks like in fact, and English in fact very often corrects what went before: « They all think he is rich; in fact he has not got a penny. » Italian infatti cannot do that — it only confirms. For the correction Italian says in realtà. Test: if the English could be and sure enough, infatti fits; if it could be actually, it does not.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
Besides the conjunctions that open a subordinate clause (perché, quando, benché) there are words that link two main clauses or two paragraphs. They change nothing about the verb — no congiuntivo, no reordering — but they say how the second thought stands to the first. English works the same way: so, but, however, in fact.
Consequence: quindi, perciò, more formally dunque and pertanto — so, therefore. Contrast: ma, però, more formally tuttavia; invece sets two things against each other (whereas, on the other hand), eppure is surprised (and yet). Addition: inoltre, moreover. And comunque means anyway, in any case.
Infatti confirms what was just said: Pensavo che piovesse, e infatti piove — and sure enough. It also introduces a reason, where English might say as it happens or indeed. For a contradiction — actually, in reality — Italian uses in realtà.
The word order after the connective is the ordinary one, as in English: Quindi resto a casa, so I am staying at home; quindi Marco resta a casa. And però may also come at the end, like English though: è caro, si mangia bene però.
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