italsky

Italsky is a word found in some West Slavic languages, most notably Czech, where it functions as an adverb meaning "in Italian" or "in the Italian manner." It is commonly used to indicate the language in which an action is performed, for example in phrases equivalent to "speak Italian" or "written in Italian." The term corresponds to similar adverbial forms derived from country or language names in Slavic languages (for example "anglicky" for "in English").

Etymologically, italsky derives from the adjective italský, itself formed from the name of the country Italy (Itálie) and ultimately tracing back to Latin Italia. The adverbial suffix -sky/-ský is a productive element in Czech and related languages for turning adjectives into adverbs describing manner or language. In grammar it functions as a manner adverb and typically appears with verbs of communication and expression (mluvit italsky — "to speak Italian"; psát italsky — "to write in Italian").

Beyond its primary linguistic use, the sequence of letters italsky may occasionally appear as a surname or as a romanization in other contexts, but such uses are comparatively rare. Care should be taken not to conflate the adverbial form with adjectival or nominal forms that carry different inflections and meanings.