anziché

Anziché is an Italian preposition meaning "instead of" or "rather than." It introduces a substitution or alternative to what is stated in the main clause and can be followed by a noun or pronoun (anziché lui, anziché questa soluzione) or by an infinitive verb form (anziché partire, anziché fare questo).

In sentences with verbs of choice or action, anziché is common after verbs like decidere, scegliere, o preferire, for example: Ha deciso di restare anziché partire.

Compared with invece di, anziché is often more formal or literary and appears more in written Italian or formal speech. In everyday conversation, invece di is more common, especially before an infinitive; anziché tends to carry a subtler or more elevated nuance.

Examples:

- Ha deciso di restare anziché partire.

- Anziché una risposta secca, ha fornito una spiegazione dettagliata.

- Lei preferisce restare a casa anziché recarsi in ufficio.

Notes on usage:

- Anziché can govern infinitives or noun phrases and does not require di when followed by an infinitive (anziché partire; anziché fare questo).

- It is roughly equivalent to "invece di" or "piuttosto che," with nuances: anziché emphasizes substitution of one option for another, often in a evaluative or corrective sense.

Contexts:

- Used in formal writing, journalism, or careful speech.

- Common alternatives include invece di (more colloquial) and piuttosto che (stronger preference).