molto / poco / troppo
Adverbs of Degree
Molto (very/a lot), poco (little), troppo (too much), and abbastanza (enough) are adverbs used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. When used this way, they are invariable—they never change their ending.
How It Works
These four adverbs allow you to express intensity:
- Molto: Means 'very' (with adjectives/adverbs) or 'a lot' (with verbs). It is a neutral way to show high intensity. You can also use tanto as a common synonym in these contexts.
- Poco: Means 'little' or 'not much.' It often implies that something is insufficient or lacking.
- Troppo: Means 'too' or 'too much.' It indicates an excess that goes beyond what is desired.
- Abbastanza: Means 'enough,' 'quite,' or 'fairly.' Note that it usually comes before the adjective it modifies (abbastanza buono), but it follows the verb (ho mangiato abbastanza), similar to English.
Morphology: Because they are adverbs in this context, they are invariable and do not change to match the gender or number of other words. Even if you are talking about multiple women (feminine plural), you say loro sono molto stanche, not molte.
Special Note on 'Poco': In casual conversation, poco is often replaced by the truncated form un po' (a little bit) to sound more natural or positive.
Examples (5)
- Giulia è molto simpatica.
Giulia is very nice.
Word by Word: Giulia is very nice.
Here 'molto' modifies the adjective 'simpatica'. Even though Giulia is feminine, 'molto' does not change, because it is an adverb.
- Noi mangiamo troppo.
We eat too much.
Word by Word: We eat too much.
In this case, 'troppo' modifies the verb 'mangiamo' to show excess.
- Il caffè è abbastanza caldo.
The coffee is hot enough / quite hot.
Word by Word: The coffee is enough hot.
Notice that 'abbastanza' comes before the adjective 'caldo', unlike the English word 'enough'.
- Loro parlano poco.
They speak little / not much.
Word by Word: They speak little.
Using 'poco' with a verb suggests they don't talk very much.
- Corri troppo velocemente!
You run too fast!
Word by Word: You run too fastly!
'Troppo' is modifying another adverb, 'velocemente'.
Common Mistakes
Making the adverb agree with a feminine or plural subject.
Le ragazze sono molte stanche.Le ragazze sono molto stanche.When 'molto' modifies an adjective (stanche), it is an adverb and must be invariable. 'Molte' would only be used if it were an adjective modifying a noun (e.g., molte ragazze).
Placing 'abbastanza' after the adjective like in English.
Il film è bello abbastanza.Il film è abbastanza bello.In Italian, 'abbastanza' almost always precedes the adjective it modifies.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'molto', 'poco', and 'troppo' as adverbs, you need to know how they differ from adjectives (which change form) and how they interact with basic verbs and adjectives in a sentence.
- Adjective Agreement
Understanding that adjectives usually change form to match gender and number is essential to distinguish them from these adverbs, which remain invariable.
Level 1 - Present Tense: -are Verbs
Since these adverbs often modify verbs, a basic understanding of verb conjugation is necessary to use them in context.
Level 1 - essere (presente)Present Tense of 'Essere'
These adverbs frequently modify adjectives following the verb 'essere' (e.g., 'sono molto stanco').
Level 1
Related Patterns
- Adjective Position
Understanding how adjectives behave helps you distinguish when these words are adjectives (variable) versus adverbs (invariable).
Level 1 - Truncation
Explains why 'poco' often becomes 'po'' in the common phrase 'un po''.
Level 1 - bene / buonoBene vs. Buono
Similar to molto/poco, 'bene' is an adverb and 'buono' is an adjective; learning one helps clarify the other.
Level 1 - -menteAdverbs in -mente
These are other types of adverbs that, like molto and troppo, remain invariable.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice molto / poco / troppo in Bubblegum
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