molto
/ˈmol.to/
The English phrase "a lot" is translated into Italian as molto.
molto is used as an adverb to mean "very much". When you want to express the concept of "a lot of" or "many" in relation to a noun, the word can also function as an adjective.
Meaning: very much (adv)
Which one should you use?
While molto is the standard term, in colloquial speech, Italians often use the phrase un sacco to express the idea of "a lot". You may also encounter the informal phrase davvero tanto to convey the same meaning.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an adverb meaning "very much", the form molto is invariable and does not change to match the gender or number of other words in the sentence. However, if you use it as an adjective to mean "a lot of" or "many", it must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. In these cases, the forms can be molto, molta, molti or molte.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable: /ˈmol.to/.
Did you know?
- The word molto actually shares an ancient root with the English word 'crumbled', stemming from a Proto-Indo-European word meaning 'crumbled' or 'broken into pieces'.
- In very informal Italian, speakers sometimes use un botto to mean 'a lot'. This word literally means 'a bang' or 'an explosion'.
- Italian has a specific word, tantissimo, which is the superlative form of tanto. It expresses an even greater intensity than molto, similar to saying 'so very much'.
Examples in context
- Io ti do molto.I give a lot to you.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of molto as an adverb.Tatoeba #4964292 by Guybrush88, translation #4964232 by LB
- Lei ti dà molto.She gives a lot to you.Tatoeba #4964260 by Guybrush88, translation #4964237 by LB
- Mi ha dato molto.He gave a lot to me.Tatoeba #4964246 by Guybrush88, translation #4964242 by LB
- Mi piace moltoI like it a lot
- Un'abbondante quantità di ciboA lot of food
- Ti voglio tantissimo beneI love you so much
- Ho un sacco di cose da fareI have a lot of things to do
- Mi manchi davvero tantoI miss you a lot
- Ho assai lavoro da fareI have a lot of work
- 2755 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Matteo are talking about a new restaurant.
- ChiaraTi piace molto questo ristorante?Do you like this restaurant a lot?
- MatteoSì, mi piace molto il cibo.Yes, I like the food very much.
- ChiaraAnche a me piace molto.I like it a lot too.
- MatteoDobbiamo tornare qui spesso.We must come back here often.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “a lot” translations and entries molto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries molto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
