Breakdown of Innanzitutto vorrei ringraziare tutti.
volere
to want
ringraziare
to thank
innanzitutto
first of all, first and foremost
Questions & Answers about Innanzitutto vorrei ringraziare tutti.
How does innanzitutto fit in with the connectors of addition we are learning, like inoltre and per di più?
Innanzitutto means "first of all" or "first and foremost". In an argument, presentation, or speech, you use it to set up your very first point or action. Connectors of addition like inoltre (furthermore) and per di più (what's more) are then used later to build on this foundation and introduce your second or third points.
The word innanzitutto is quite long. Is it a combination of smaller words?
Yes! It comes from combining in, anzi (before/rather), and tutto (everything). The word innanzi on its own means "before" or "in front of", so the whole word literally translates to "before everything". You might occasionally see it written as two words (innanzi tutto), but the single-word spelling is standard today.
I sometimes hear learners say ringraziare a tutti. Why is there no a in this sentence?
Because the verb ringraziare (to thank) takes a direct object in Italian, meaning it connects directly to the noun without a preposition. Even though you are directing your thanks to people, you never use the preposition a. It is always ringraziare qualcuno (to thank someone).
Since I already know the conditional tense, why is it specifically important to use vorrei instead of voglio in this context?
Because innanzitutto usually kicks off a speech, a toast, or a formal argument, the register matters a lot here. While voglio (I want) is grammatically correct, using the polite conditional vorrei (I would like) softens the statement. Opening a speech with voglio would sound too aggressive and blunt to native ears.
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