Learn Italian: Abbiamo ereditato i diari, tuttavia la verità risale a un altro secolo. - We have inherited the diaries, however the truth goes back to another century.

Abbiamo ereditato i diari, tuttavia la verità risale a un altro secolo.

We have inherited the diaries, however the truth goes back to another century.

Breakdown of Abbiamo ereditato i diari, tuttavia la verità risale a un altro secolo.

Questions & Answers about Abbiamo ereditato i diari, tuttavia la verità risale a un altro secolo.

Why use tuttavia here instead of just ma (but)?

While ma works perfectly well, tuttavia (however / nevertheless) is a slightly more formal contrastive connector. It effectively highlights the contrast between having the physical diaries now and the truth belonging to a distant past. Just like "however" in English, it often sits at the beginning of the second clause.

Could I use eppure instead of tuttavia in this sentence?

Yes, but it changes the tone. Tuttavia states a straightforward logical contrast. Eppure (and yet) carries a stronger sense of surprise or contradiction. Using eppure would imply that you expected the diaries to easily reveal the truth, and yet, surprisingly, they do not.

What verb is risale and why is it followed by a?

It comes from risalire (to go back / to date back). When talking about time or origins, risalire is always followed by the preposition a. Therefore, risale a un altro secolo translates to "dates back to another century."

Why is the plural of diario spelled diari with one "i" and not two?