Learn Hardcore Italian: Intanto che aspetti, puoi leggere la bozza del mio articolo. - While you wait, you can read the draft of my article.

Intanto che is a temporal conjunction meaning “while” or “in the meantime that.” It links two simultaneous actions: you wait, and at the same time you can read.

Can I use mentre instead of intanto che?

Yes. Mentre aspetti, puoi leggere… works exactly the same: it also means “while you wait, you can read…” The difference is mostly stylistic: mentre is very common and neutral, while intanto che sounds a bit more conversational.

Why is aspetti in the present tense?

Italian uses the present indicative to describe two actions happening at the same time. Here, aspetti (“you wait”) and puoi leggere (“you can read”) occur simultaneously, so both verbs stay in the present.

Why don’t we see a subject pronoun before aspetti?

In Italian, subject pronouns (like tu) are optional when the verb ending already tells you who the subject is. The -i ending of aspetti clearly indicates tu, so the pronoun is dropped.

What kind of clause is Intanto che aspetti?

It’s a subordinate temporal clause. It specifies when the action of the main clause (puoi leggere …) takes place—namely, while you’re waiting.

Is intanto an adverb or something else here?

Here intanto is an adverb that, together with che, introduces the time clause. On its own, intanto can mean “meanwhile” (e.g. Intanto, prepara un caffè.).

Can we drop che and say Intanto aspetti?

If you want a full subordinate clause, you normally keep che. You can say Intanto, aspetti qui (using intanto alone with a comma), but not Intanto aspetti without punctuation—it would sound incomplete.

What is bozza, and why is it feminine?

Bozza means “draft” (a preliminary version of a text). It’s a feminine noun, so its singular article is la: la bozza.

Why choose puoi leggere instead of the imperative leggi?

Puoi leggere is a polite way to offer or permit: “you can read.” Using leggi would be a direct command: “read!” The original sentence softly suggests what the listener is free to do.

Is intanto che more formal or informal? Can it appear in writing?

Intanto che is stylistically neutral and perfectly acceptable in both spoken and written Italian. It’s slightly less formal than mentre, but you’ll find it in emails, articles, and everyday speech.