Italian connecting words – Dunque, quindi, and perciò

Knowing how to use the right linking word in Italian can help you both speak and write more easily, and organize your conversations logically.

Some time ago, I talked about how to use the Italian connecting words insomma, and allora.

Today, I’d like to explain how the Italian connecting words dunque, quindi, and perciò are used.

DUNQUE

Dunque can be used in many different ways in Italian.

1. Dunque can be used to express a consequence, a deduction or a conclusion.

Ex: Questa casa è enorme e dunque è più adatta a una famiglia
This house is huge, so it’s more suitable to a family

2. Dunque can be used to continue a conversation that was interrupted.

Ex: Dunque stavo dicendo che secondo me hai ragione
So, I was saying that I think you’re right

3. Dunque can also be used to invite or urge someone to talk, confess or do something.

Ex: Dunque? Ti decidi? Vieni o no?
So? Have you decided? Will you come or not?

In addition of being used as a connective, dunque can also be used as a noun. As such, it’s used in some expressions, the most common one probably being “Venire al dunque”, meaning to get to the point.

QUINDI

Quindi can have different meanings in Italian, and some of them are the same the word dunque has. However, when talking, it’s usually more used than dunque.

1. Quindi can be used to express a consequence, a deduction or a conclusion.

Ex: Sta per arrivare un temporale, quindi non possiamo andare in spiaggia
There’s a storm coming, so we can’t go to the beach

2. Quindi is also used in dialogues to invite someone to tell you his/her deduction or the meaning of something

Ex: E Quindi? Che vuol dire?
And so? What does it mean?

PERCIO’

Perciò is the last of the three Italian connectives in this post. Perciò, as quindi and dunque, is used to express a consequence. Perciò is probably the second most used connective among those listed in this page, the first being quindi.

Ex: Faceva freddo, perciò ho chiuso la finestra
It was cold, so I closed the window

Now that you know how to use these Italian connecting words, try to make some sentences with them.

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Credits

Original image by ddimitrova