Stavolta arriviamo presto.

Stavolta is a common fused form meaning this time. It comes from sta volta, where sta is a shortened form of questa.

You may see:

• stavolta — very common
• sta volta — also used
• questa volta — fuller and a bit more neutral

All three can mean the same thing here. Stavolta sounds natural and conversational.

Yes, in this sentence they mean the same thing: this time.

The main difference is style:

• questa volta = more neutral, full form
• stavolta = slightly more informal and speech-like

So Stavolta arriviamo presto and Questa volta arriviamo presto are both correct.

Italian often uses the present tense to talk about the future when the context makes the time clear.

So arriviamo can mean:

• we arrive
• we are arriving
• we will arrive

In this sentence, stavolta helps create a natural future-like sense: This time we’ll arrive early.

You could also say Stavolta arriveremo presto, but arriviamo often sounds more immediate and natural in everyday speech.

Arriviamo is the first person plural form of arrivare.

That means it corresponds to:

• noi arriviamo = we arrive / we are arriving

The ending -iamo is the key clue that the subject is we.

Italian usually leaves out subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

Since arriviamo already means we arrive, noi is not necessary.

You would add noi only for emphasis or contrast, for example:

• Stavolta noi arriviamo presto, non loro.
  This time we’re arriving early, not them.

Here, presto means early.

Presto can mean:

• early
• soon

The exact meaning depends on the verb and context. With arrivare, presto normally means early:

• arrivare presto = to arrive early

If you said Vengo presto, that could mean I’ll come soon. So the verb helps determine the meaning.

Yes, but the nuance is a little different.

• presto = early
• in anticipo = ahead of time / earlier than expected or scheduled

So:

• Stavolta arriviamo presto = This time we’re arriving early
• Stavolta arriviamo in anticipo = This time we’re arriving ahead of schedule

Both are correct, but in anticipo is a bit more explicit.

Putting stavolta first emphasizes the contrast: this time.

It suggests something like:

• maybe on other occasions you were late
• but this time, things will be different

Italian word order is flexible, so you could also say:

• Arriviamo presto stavolta

But Stavolta arriviamo presto sounds more natural if you want to highlight this time.

It is generally natural and common, but a little less formal than questa volta.

A simple way to think about it:

• stavolta = everyday, conversational
• questa volta = neutral, good in all situations

So stavolta is not wrong in standard Italian, but in very formal writing, many people might prefer questa volta.

A helpful approximation is:

sta-VOL-ta ar-ri-VYA-mo PRES-to

A few notes:

• stavolta has the stress on vol
• arriviamo has the stress on via
• presto has the stress on pres

Also, the rr in arriviamo is rolled or tapped more than in English.