Breakdown of L'accento regionale è più marcato di quanto sembra.
essere
to be
più
more / anymore (with 'non')
di
than
quanto
as (in comparisons)
Questions & Answers about L'accento regionale è più marcato di quanto sembra.
Why do we use di quanto here instead of just di or che?
Why is sembra in the indicative? I thought we needed the subjunctive after di quanto.
It is true that the subjunctive is very common after di quanto (like di quanto pensassi), especially for thoughts or expectations. However, the indicative (sembra) is also used, particularly in everyday speech or when pointing out an objective reality rather than a personal opinion. Using the subjunctive (sembri) would also be completely correct and is actually preferred in formal writing.
Could I say più forte instead of più marcato?
You could, and it would be understood perfectly. But marcato (literally 'marked' or 'pronounced') is the standard, most natural adjective Italians use to describe an accent, a facial feature, or a flavor that clearly stands out.