Significado
All of a sudden.
Contexto cultural
Classic authors like Alessandro Manzoni used 'a un tratto' to create suspense in their novels. It is a staple of the 'Ottocento' (19th century) literary style. In opera librettos, this phrase often signals a 'colpo di scena' where a character enters or a secret is revealed, usually accompanied by a sudden change in music. While 'a un tratto' is standard Italian, in the South (like Naples), you might hear 'all'intrasatta', which carries the same meaning but with a local flavor. Contemporary Italian singers use this phrase to describe the suddenness of falling in love or a breakup, making it feel modern and relatable.
The Storyteller's Secret
Use 'a un tratto' to start a new paragraph in your writing to instantly grab the reader's attention.
Singular vs Plural
Always check if you mean 'suddenly' (singular) or 'sometimes' (plural). This is the most common mistake for A1 learners.
Significado
All of a sudden.
The Storyteller's Secret
Use 'a un tratto' to start a new paragraph in your writing to instantly grab the reader's attention.
Singular vs Plural
Always check if you mean 'suddenly' (singular) or 'sometimes' (plural). This is the most common mistake for A1 learners.
Pair with Imperfetto
For maximum native effect, use the Imperfetto for the background action and 'a un tratto' to introduce the Passato Prossimo.
Dramatic Pausing
When speaking, pause for a half-second after saying 'a un tratto' to build suspense, just like an Italian would.
Ponte a prueba
Complete the sentence with the correct phrase.
Stavo leggendo un libro e ________ la luce si è spenta.
We need 'a un tratto' because the light turning off is a single, sudden event.
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'Suddenly it started to snow'?
'A un tratto' is the correct idiom for 'suddenly'.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
A: Com'è andata la festa? B: Bene, ma ________ è arrivata la polizia!
The arrival of the police is a sudden interruption to the party.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Which phrase fits a lightbulb exploding?
An explosion is a single, sudden moment.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Singular vs Plural
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosStavo leggendo un libro e ________ la luce si è spenta.
We need 'a un tratto' because the light turning off is a single, sudden event.
How do you say 'Suddenly it started to snow'?
'A un tratto' is the correct idiom for 'suddenly'.
A: Com'è andata la festa? B: Bene, ma ________ è arrivata la polizia!
The arrival of the police is a sudden interruption to the party.
Which phrase fits a lightbulb exploding?
An explosion is a single, sudden moment.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
12 preguntasIt is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
Yes! It means 'all of a sudden' and is very common and slightly more emphatic.
They are almost identical. 'A un tratto' feels slightly more descriptive or literary, while 'all'improvviso' is more common in basic speech.
Absolutely. It works for both good and bad surprises.
No, it is an adverbial phrase and never changes its form.
It's an idiomatic fixed expression. Prepositions in idioms often don't follow logical rules.
Yes, to describe sudden market changes or unexpected news.
Yes, but it's much more common at the beginning or in the middle.
No, 'tratto' means a stroke, a stretch, or a feature. 'Treat' would be 'trattamento' or 'regalo'.
Yes, often used when telling a story about something weird that happened.
No, it must be something that felt like it happened in an instant.
Yes, 'di botto' is a very common slang alternative.
Frases relacionadas
all'improvviso
synonymSuddenly
di colpo
similarAll at once / abruptly
a tratti
contrastAt intervals / on and off
di punto in bianco
specialized formOut of the blue
improvvisamente
synonymSuddenly (adverb)
