How exactly do you say fast in Italian?
In this lesson, we will take a look at the different words you can use to talk about being fast in Italian and you will even learn some expressions featuring this word. Read on to learn them all!
Veloce
Fast
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Fast in Italian
Veloce
Veloce is how you translate fast and quick into Italian. Let’s hear how this adjective is pronounced.
Its pronunciation is similar to veh-loh-ceh and it comes from the Latin word velox, “fast”. Make sure the final -e has a clean sound, because Italian vowel sounds are clean!
Veloce
Fast
Veloce has only two forms because adjectives ending in -e in Italian remain unchanged for both genders, but must match the number (singular/plural) of the noun they describe.
| Singular | Plural | |
| Masculine | Veloce | Veloci |
| Feminine | Veloce | Veloci |
If a cheetah is fast, you would say veloce because cheetah, ghepardo, is a masculine noun in Italian.
Likewise, if you’re talking about a lizard, lucertola, which is a feminine noun, you would say veloce.
But veloce changes to veloci for plural nouns of either gender.
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For example, you could say…
Gli struzzi sono molto veloci.
Ostriches are very fast.
Qual è l’animale più veloce del mondo?
What is the fastest animal in the world?
(“more fast”)
Il cane è più veloce dell’uomo e lo raggiunge in pochi secondi.
The dog is faster than the man and catches up with him in a few seconds.
Sei troppo veloce per me!
You are too fast for me!
Other translations for fast in Italian
There are a number of synonyms that you can use instead of veloce. The most common ones are…
Rapido
Fast, rapid
Svelto
Quick, swift (only used to describe people)
Spedito
Quick, swift (only used to describe people)
Fulmineo
Lightning quick
For example, you could say…
Il ciclista attraversa la strada a velocità fulminea.
The cyclist crosses the road at lightning speed.
La tachicardia è una serie di battiti del cuore molto rapidi.
Tachycardia is a series of very fast heartbeats.
Federico è svelto a lavorare.
Federico is quick to work.
Expressions featuring speed in Italian
The word for speed in Italian is velocità. Let’s look at some common expressions and collocations featuring this word in Italian:
- limite di velocità (speed limit)
- alla velocità della luce (“at the speed of light”)
- treno ad alta velocità (high-speed train)
For example, you could say…
Ho preso una multa per avere superato il limite di velocità.
I have received a ticket for exceeding the speed limit.
I treni ad alta velocità sono una fantastica invenzione.
High-speed trains are an amazing invention.
Il ladro scompare alla velocità della luce.
The thief disappears at the speed of light.
And that’s the end of our lesson on how to say fast in Italian!
What next?
Now that you’ve seen how to say fast in Italian, you might want to keep learning Italian online with these free Italian resources:
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