volentieri

Volentieri is an Italian adverb meaning willingly or gladly. It is used to express a positive willingness in response to an invitation, offer, or request, and it can replace phrases such as con piacere (with pleasure) in many contexts. In everyday speech and formal writing, volentieri signals openness and agreement.

Origin and usage notes. The word is formed from the participial form volente, meaning willing, and is used as an adverb of manner. It is commonly placed before the verb it modifies or after an auxiliary in compound tenses, as in affirmative statements to indicate readiness or pleasure in complying. Its negative form is non volentieri, conveying reluctance or unwillingness.

Relationships with synonyms and variants. Volentieri is closely related to expressions like “con piacere” and “con molto piacere.” It is sometimes chosen for a courteous or slightly more elevated tone in correspondence or polite conversation. In contrast, non volentieri emphasizes hesitation or unwillingness. The choice between volentieri and other equivalents can depend on register and emphasis.

Context and cross-linguistic notes. In Italian, volentieri is widely understood and commonly used across regions and styles. It has close equivalents in other Romance languages, such as French volontiers, though exact usage and nuance can vary by language.