direttamente
/di.ret.taˈmen.te/
The Italian word for 'directly' is direttamente.
direttamente is an adverb used to describe an action performed in a direct manner.
Meaning: in a direct manner (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The adverb is formed from the adjective diretto (direct) plus the suffix -mente, which is the Italian equivalent of the English suffix '-ly'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word consists of 5 syllables, with the stress on the 4th syllable: /di.ret.taˈmen.te/.
Did you know?
- The suffix -mente is derived from the Latin word mente, meaning 'mind'. Literally, these adverbs describe an action done 'with the mind' in a certain way.
- If you are speaking about someone's personality, saying they act direttamente might be interpreted as being blunt or even rude. In Italian social nuances, being too 'direct' can sometimes be viewed as a lack of diplomazia.
- In the context of time, if someone says they will arrive direttamente, it might be misunderstood. To say 'right away' or 'immediately', Italians more commonly use the word subito rather than direttamente.
Examples in context
- Parla direttamente con noi.Talk to us directly.This sentence shows how to use direttamente.Tatoeba #7211070 by Guybrush88, translation #5754454 by CM
- Non la guardi direttamente.Don't look directly at her.This sentence uses direttamente.Tatoeba #11303388 by Guybrush88, translation #3919761 by CH
- Non guardi direttamente Tom.Don't look directly at Tom.Tatoeba #2347464 by Guybrush88, translation #1860443 by CK
- Voglio dirtelo direttamenteI want to tell you directly
- Gli ho detto a bruciapelo quello che pensavoI told him directly what I was thinking
- Voglio parlare con te direttamente.I want to speak to you directly.
- 62 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are discussing a work problem.
- LorenzoDevi parlare direttamente con il capo.You need to speak directly with the boss.
- MartinaHo paura di farlo, Lorenzo.I'm afraid to do it, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoÈ il modo più veloce per risolvere.It is the fastest way to solve it.
- MartinaVa bene, glielo dirò direttamente.Alright, I will tell him directly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “directly” translations and entries direttamente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
