Attuali

Attuali is the plural form of the Italian adjective attuale, meaning current, present-day, or up-to-date. It is used to describe things that belong to the present time or are regarded as contemporary. The singular form attuale is used for both masculine and feminine nouns (attuale for singular). For example: la situazione attuale; i problemi attuali; gli studenti attuali.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin actualis, formed from actus “done, present” and the suffix -alis. Through Medieval Latin, the sense developed to designate things pertaining to the present moment. In modern Italian, attuale is a common term across journalism, education, science, and everyday language.

Usage notes: The term is neutral and time-focused, often applied to events, conditions, or phenomena that are happening now or have immediate relevance. It can describe people or groups in a present-day context, such as i studenti attuali or le questioni attuali. It is distinct from attualità, which refers more specifically to current events or news, and from contemporaneo, which emphasizes belonging to the same time period rather than immediacy.

Related terms: Attualità (current events, news), attualizzare (to bring something up to date or to present-day standards), and contemporaneo (contemporary). Attuali and its related forms are widely used in formal and informal Italian to convey immediacy and present relevance.