An extremely useful word in Italian is volentieri and if you learn to use it correctly, you’ll be one step closer to sounding like a native speaker! It comes from the French word volontiers which in turn derives from the Latin voluntarie.
Volentieri can translate in numerous ways depending on the context, though in every case, it indicates a sincere willingness to do something. These translations include:
| willingly | Andrei volentieri, ma non posso. I’d go willingly, but I can’t. |
| readily | Accetto volentieri il vostro invito. I readily accept your invitation. |
| with pleasure | Mangiò volentieri due pizze intere. He ate two whole pizzas with pleasure. |
| gladly / happily | Me ne occupo volentieri. I’ll happily take care of it. |
| to be happy to | Vado volentieri a piedi. I’m happy to walk. |
| to enjoy / to love | Ascolto volentieri la musica rock. I enjoy listening to rock music. |
Molto volentieri, ben volentieri, assai volentieri, the superlative form volentierissimo and più che volentieri all mean very willingly or more than happy.
Tornerei a Venezia molto volentieri.
I would very willingly go back to Venice.
The expression spesso e volentieri literally translates as often and willingly but it actually means very often. In this case, volentieri takes on the role of highlighting or reinforcing spesso. It can be used for both positive and negative things.
Ci vediamo spesso e volentieri con i nostri vicini di casa.
We see our neighbours very often.
Su questa strada le auto vanno troppo forte. Capitano spesso e volentieri incidenti.
Cars go too fast on this road. Accidents happen very often.
Volentieri can also function as an affirmative and enthusiastic response to a request for help or an invitation, similar to the expressions certainly, of course, sure or I’d love to in English.
Vieni con noi stasera? – Volentieri!
Will you come with us tonight? – I’d love to!
The opposite of volentieri is malvolentieri (also spelled mal volentieri) or poco volentieri. It is close in meaning to the words reluctantly or unwillingly in English.
Oggi vado in ufficio malvolentieri.
Today I’m reluctant to go into the office.
Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.
