Sightseeing in Italy will leave you with plenty to marvel at. To express your awe at breathtaking landscapes, historic monuments, and magnificent artwork, Italian uses exclamations built with che, quanto, and quale.
Exclaiming with Che
To say "What a...!" before a noun (or a noun followed by an adjective), use che. It is invariable, meaning it never changes to match gender or number.
Notice that unlike English, which includes the article "a" (What a view!), Italian simply places che directly before the noun.
| What a breathtaking panorama! It is magnificent! | Che panorama mozzafiato! È magnifico! |
| What a charming glimpse from the hill! | Che scorcio suggestivo dalla collina! |
Exclaiming with Quanto
When you want to say "How [adjective]!", use quanto.
Pay close attention to the word order. Unlike English, which puts the adjective right after "How", Italian places the verb immediately after quanto, followed by the adjective and the subject.
| How majestic this monument is! | Quanto è maestoso questo monumento! |
| How tall and majestic this bridge is! | Quanto è alto e maestoso questo ponte! |
You can also use quanto to emphasize an adverb (like "How well...!"). In this case, the adverb follows quanto directly, just like in English.
| How well they preserve the Italian heritage! | Quanto bene conservano il patrimonio italiano! |
Exclaiming with Quale
Quale can be used just like che before a noun to mean "What a...!". It is simply a more formal, literary, or dramatic alternative, often used to express deep emotions or marvel at ancient masterpieces.
| What amazement in front of such an ancient masterpiece! | Quale stupore davanti a un capolavoro così antico! |
