OK...one of my many problems that I would like some sort of resolution to is how best to translate the various uses of "so" into Italian...so how would one translate these uses of "so":

I had a lot of work so I could not come

So what do you think?


and also what is the difference between "cosi" and "talmente" and could you give an example of their use?

Does anyone else find it is the little things like this that slow you down big time when talking in Italian?

Any help is much appreciated

I am by no means an expert, but in your first example, I would use either "percio'" or "quindi". In your second example, I would use "allora."

Yes, it is the little things (the subtle distinctions) that cause the most difficulty.

It depends on the use of "so".
There are phrases in which you don't have to translate it, and other in which you have to use different words.

I had a lot of work so I could not come
Ho avuto così tanto lavoro che non sono potuta andare/venire ( da non potere venire/andare)

So what do you think? Allora, che ne pensi?but also Quindi, che ne pensi? or Dunque, che ne pensi?. I think that "quindi" is slightly more soliciting because "quindi" is a strictly causal conjunction (while "allora" is also a temporal conjunction.)
I.e. I would say "allora" if I propose something I am sure you will like and "quindi" is I think you will disagree with me, "dunque" for something neutral but THERE IS NOT A RULE. (you cannot translate so=così in this case)

Take two pieces so that you can put them together
Prendi due pezzi in modo da (così da) poterli mettere insieme

But "so" is also used just to say something...I remember a scene from Bridget Jones' diary, when Mark Darcy meet Bridget again and they don't know what to say.
Mark: "So..."
Bridget: "So..."
then they laugh embarassed

How would I translate it? Well, everyone has his/hers favourite "timing word".
For example: allora, bene, dunque, ehm...

I don't like it so. Non mi piace (sott. ciò / così / in questo modo)
In this case I don't translate it at all, but if you want to add "ciò /così / in questo modo" is not wrong, just redundant.

From a Beatles' song: "everybody tells me so" Me lo dicono tutti (literally: Tutti mi dicono così)

So, there are different meaning and translations, I hope I didn't make a mess on your mind.

Thanks for those answers...they are exactly what I was after. Now I have some decent examples I can start to practice a bit. All I have had to work from are a couple of text books that have given examples that, in my mind, remain ambiguous as to how they would work in future examples, which is of course very annoying...

You're welcome.
If you need help we are here for that!

Buona Pasqua!

Allora ( ):

"Dunque" = "so" in the form of therefore?

"cosi" = "so" in the form of being "very much as"

E' corretto?

Ciao ... Marco

Well, "dunque = therefore" is OK, "so = very much as is" not always ok.


If I say "cut them so you can trash them" means that you should cut them in a way that will be easier to trash them. In this case you cannot use the "so = very much as"