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I don’t know why, but I love the word “altrimenti”. It might be the way it rolls off the tongue or the elegant way it connects phrases together, but I’m off on a language-nerd tangent now.

The point is that today we are learning how to use the word “altrimenti” in Italian.

(Seriously, say it loud now. Shivers. Kind of like “la schiuma del cappuccino”.)

“Altrimenti” can be defined as:

• Otherwise
• Or else
• If not

Here are some examples to give you an idea of how you can use it:

Non lavorare troppo, altrimenti ti esaurisci/viene un esaurimento. – Don’t work too hard, otherwise you’ll burn out.

Se pensi altrimenti, dimmi. – If you think otherwise, tell me.

A: Perché hai imparato l’Italiano al liceo? – Why did you learn Italian in high school?

B: Perché altrimenti avrei dovuto imparare lo spagnolo e già riuscivo a parlarlo. – Because otherwise I would have had to learn Spanish and I already spoke it.

Devo imparare il mandarino, altrimenti non riuscirò a comunicare con la mia famiglia quando starò a Taiwan. – I have to learn Mandarin, otherwise I won’t be able to communicate with my family when I’m in Taiwan.

Lo so che non è una buona idea, ma non posso fare altrimenti. – I know that it’s not a good idea, but I can’t do otherwise/have no other choice.

Non posso fare altrimenti! – I cannot do otherwise!

Sinomino:

• Sennò/Se no – If not; This is used more often in spoken Italian and can only be substituted with “altrimenti” to mean “if not” or “or else”.
• Altrimenti detto – Also known as
• Fare altrimenti – To do otherwise

Let’s get to the meat of the matter?

Listen now

Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show, to Patreon supporters for helping fund the show, and to the lovely Timarie Harrison for putting all of the pieces together. It takes a village.

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