Italian conjunctions used to connect clauses

 

Conjunction	Meaning	Verb Mood Required
Affinché	So that	Subjunctive
Purché	Provided that	Subjunctive
Come se	As if	Subjunctive (Imperfect)
Sebbene	Although	Subjunctive
Prima che	Before	Subjunctive
Appena	As soon as	Indicative
Anziché	Rather than	Infinitive / Noun
Piuttosto che	Rather than	Infinitive / Noun These are all Italian conjunctions used to connect clauses. To make them easy to master, we can group them by how they behave mechanically, because some of them require a specific verb mood called the subjunctive (congiuntivo), while others are much more flexible. Here is the breakdown of what they mean, how to use them, and examples for each. Group 1: The Subjunctive Triggers These conjunctions always require the subjunctive mood in the clause that follows them because they deal with purpose, conditions, or hypothetical situations. 1. Affinché (So that / In order that) What it does: Introduces a purpose or goal. It is formal; in everyday speech, Italians often use perché to mean "so that." Example: Ti lo spiego affinché tu possa capire. (I am explaining it to you so that you can understand.) 2. Purché (Provided that / As long as) What it does: Introduces a vital condition. You can do X, purché (as long as) Y happens. Example: Puoi uscire, purché tu torni presto. (You can go out, provided that you return early.) 3. Come se (As if / As though) What it does: Introduces a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact comparison. Because it is hypothetical, it triggers the imperfetto del congiuntivo (imperfect subjunctive). Example: Parla come se sapesse tutto. (He talks as if he knew everything.) 4. Sebbene (Although / Even though) What it does: Introduces a concession or contrast. Example: È uscito, sebbene piovesse. (He went out, even though it was raining.) 5. Prima che (Before) What it does: Indicates time, but because the action hasn't happened yet at the point of the main clause, it requires the subjunctive. Example: Voglio finire prima che arrivino gli ospiti. (I want to finish before the guests arrive.) Group 2: The Flexible Conjunctions These do not strictly require the subjunctive and usually take the indicative (normal present/past tenses) or the infinitive. 6. Appena (As soon as) What it does: Indicates an action happening immediately after another. It takes the regular indicative mood. Example: Chiamami appena arrivi a casa. (Call me as soon as you get home.) 7. Anziché (Rather than / Instead of) What it does: Shows a preference or alternative. It is most frequently followed directly by an infinitive verb or a noun. Example: Anziché studiare, preferisce giocare. (Rather than studying, he prefers to play.) 8. Piuttosto che (Rather than / Instead of) What it does: Functionally identical to anziché in modern Italian, used to express a choice or preference. Like anziché, it usually takes the infinitive verb. Example: Prendo un tè piuttosto che bere un caffè. (I'll have a tea rather than drink a coffee.) ⚠️ A quick note on Piuttosto che: In casual, modern northern Italian speech, you might hear people use it to mean "or" (e.g., Possiamo mangiare pizza piuttosto che pasta). Purists hate this! Strictly speaking, it means "instead of/rather than," implying preference, not just a neutral list of options.

In Italian, there are a few distinct ways to say "on the other hand" or "on the contrary," depending on whether you are adding a contrasting perspective or flat-out correcting a statement.

Here is how to choose the right one, depending on what you mean.

1. To say "On the other hand" (Balancing two facts)

Use these when you are presenting a secondary viewpoint or contrasting two different sides of a situation.

D'altra parte / D'altro canto

These are the exact equivalents of "on the other hand" or "from another angle." They are highly natural and interchangeable.

• Il lavoro è faticoso; d'altra parte, lo stipendio è buono. (The work is tiring; on the other hand, the salary is good.)

• Mi piacerebbe andare al cinema; d'altro canto, sono davvero stanco. (I'd like to go to the cinema; on the other hand, I'm really tired.)

Invece

While it literally means "instead," Italians frequently use invece at the beginning or middle of a sentence to mean "on the other hand" or "whereas."

• A me piace la pizza al taglio; a Marco, invece, piace quella tonda. (I like pizza by the slice; Marco, on the other hand, likes the round one.)

2. To say "On the contrary" (Strong disagreement/Correction)

Use these when someone says something incorrect, and you want to completely reverse it—meaning "No, quite the opposite!"

Al contrario

The literal and most common translation for "on the contrary."

• «Sei arrabbiato?» «Al contrario, sono felicissimo!» (— "Are you angry?" — "On the contrary, I'm generic-happy/thrilled!")

Anzi

This is a incredibly versatile, uniquely Italian word. When used on its own or to start a clause, it means "on the contrary" or "in fact, quite the opposite."

• Non mi dà fastidio, anzi, mi fa piacere. (It doesn't bother me; on the contrary, it's a pleasure.)

Quick Cheat Sheet

• If you are weighing pros and cons: Use d'altra parte or d'altro canto.

• If you are saying someone is totally wrong and the truth is the opposite: Use anzi or al contrario.