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
Compared with invece di, anziché is often more formal or literary and appears more in written Italian
- Ha deciso di restare anziché partire.
- Anziché una risposta secca, ha fornito una spiegazione dettagliata.
- Lei preferisce restare a casa anziché recarsi in ufficio.
- Anziché can govern infinitives or noun phrases and does not require di when followed by an infinitive
- It is roughly equivalent to "invece di" or "piuttosto che," with nuances: anziché emphasizes substitution of
- Used in formal writing, journalism, or careful speech.
- Common alternatives include invece di (more colloquial) and piuttosto che (stronger preference).