even: ✓ even ✗ also

By | June 3, 2017
even
also
Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.
Mettici il cuore, la mente e l’anima anche nei tuoi gesti più piccoli. Questo è il segreto del successo.
– Swami Sivananda
✓ It was such an exciting match that even my wife, who hates football, was shouting at the TV by the end.
✗ It was such an exciting match that *also* my wife, who hates football, was shouting at the TV by the end.
Era una partita così avvincente che anche/persino mia moglie, che odia il calcio, stava urlando alla TV ora della fine.
In English we use even and not *also* to emphasise that something is surprising, more (or less) than we expected or would think, etc.
Some more examples:
✓ It’s so easy that even a five-year-old could do it.
✗ It’s so easy that *also* a five-year-old could do it.
E’ così facile che saprebbe farlo anche un bambino di cinque anni.
✓ The hotel was excellent. It even had a babysitting service.
✗ The hotel was excellent. It *also* had a babysitting service.
L’albergo era ottimo. Aveva persino un servizio di babysitting.
✓ I love spicy food but even I can’t eat this curry! It’s too hot, even for me!
✗ I love spicy food but *also* I can’t eat this curry! It’s too hot, *also* for me!
Adoro il cibo piccante ma persino io non riesco a mangiare questo curry! E’ troppo piccante, anche per me!
Even is common in negative sentences too. For example:
✓ “Have you finished?”
    “Finished? I haven’t even started!”
    “Hai finito?”
    “Finito? Non ho neanche iniziato!”
✓ I’m in love with a girl who doesn’t even know that I exist!
Sono inammorato di una ragazza che non sa neanche che io esista!

I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.
Cucino col vino, a volte addirittura lo aggiungo al cibo.
– W. C. Fields

Now try the quiz below! There are TEN answers. The pass mark is 90% (9 out of 10). Click on the blue arrows to go to the next or previous question. You can check your answers immediately or when you’ve finished the quiz.