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I figli sono cresciuti velocemente; d'altronde, l'adolescenza cambia tutto.

I figli sono cresciuti velocemente; d'altronde, l'adolescenza cambia tutto.
The children have grown up quickly; after all, adolescence changes everything.
From Lesson 338:Justifications (d'altronde, del resto)·Italian

Questions & Answers about I figli sono cresciuti velocemente; d'altronde, l'adolescenza cambia tutto.

Why is d'altronde translated as "after all" here, and what exactly does it imply?
D'altronde is used to introduce a justification or an expected fact that supports what was just said. It means "after all," "besides," or "on the other hand." In this sentence, it implies that the rapid growth shouldn't be surprising because adolescence naturally changes everything.
Could I use del resto instead of d'altronde in this sentence?
Yes! Del resto and d'altronde are virtually interchangeable in this context. Both act as connectors of justification, introducing a widely accepted truth that explains the previous statement.
Why is it sono cresciuti and not hanno cresciuto?
The verb crescere (to grow) takes the auxiliary essere when it is intransitive, meaning the subject itself is growing (like the children here). Because it takes essere, the past participle must agree with the subject in gender and number, becoming cresciuti. You only use avere when crescere is transitive, such as raising a child or growing plants.
Why does Italian use the article l' before adolescenza when English just says "adolescence"?
In Italian, abstract nouns and broad concepts (like l'adolescenza, la pazienza, or l'amore) require a definite article when used in a general, all-encompassing sense. English drops the article for broad concepts, but Italian strictly requires it.

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