ad alta voce
The English word 'aloud' can be translated into Italian as ad alta voce. Wiktionary also lists a voce alta.
Meaning: loudly (adv)
Ways to say it
| Italian |
|---|
| ad alta voce |
| a voce alta |
Both a voce alta and ad alta voce are used interchangeably to mean 'aloud' or 'out loud' in both spoken and written Italian. Note that if you wish to say 'at full voice', you should use a piena voce instead.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase a voce alta literally translates to 'at high voice'.
Which one should you use?
While a voce alta and ad alta voce are interchangeable, they contrast with a voce bassa, which is the standard way to say 'in a low voice' or 'quietly'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ad alta voce uses the euphonic 'd' in the preposition 'a' to prevent a hiatus when followed by the word 'alta'.
Did you know?
- Beyond speaking, the word voce is used in a technical sense to describe a specific 'entry' in a dictionary.
- A request to speak a voce alta can be a polite plea for clarity or a stern reprimand for being too noisy, depending on the tone.
- In Italian, the word voce is used both for the sound a person makes when speaking a voce alta and for the legal 'voice' or 'vote' cast in a democratic election.
Examples in context
- Leggi a voce alta.Read aloud.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase a voce alta.Tatoeba #10247435 by Guybrush88, translation #8534642 by Amastan
- Leggi il libro ad alta voce.Read the book aloud.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase ad alta voce.Tatoeba #1462584 by Guybrush88, translation #271934 by CK
- Lesse la poesia ad alta voce.She read the poem aloud.Tatoeba #859426 by Guybrush88, translation #311253 by CM
- Il professor Rossi leggeva ad alta voce.Professor Rossi was reading aloud.
- Durante la lettura delle poesie al festival, la poetessa ha recitato ad alta voce, catturando l'attenzione del pubblico.During the poetry reading at the festival, the poet recited her verses aloud, captivating the audience.
- I bambini hanno riso a voce alta mentre correvano nel parco.The children laughed aloud while running through the park.
- Ha cantato a gran voce sotto la doccia, divertendo tutta la casa.He sang loudly in the shower, entertaining the whole house.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Sofia are in a library.
- AlessandroSofia, non parlare ad alta voce qui.Sofia, don't speak aloud here.
- SofiaScusa, non me ne sono accorta.Sorry, I didn't notice.
- AlessandroDobbiamo stare in silenzio.We have to be quiet.
- SofiaHai ragione, parlerò più piano.You're right, I will speak more softly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aloud” translations and entries ad alta voce, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
