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Put 'anche', 'solo' and other focus words right before what they affect

Some small Italian words act like spotlights: anche (too, also), solo (only), persino (even) and nemmeno (not even) all point at one part of the sentence and say something about it. In Italian, the normal and safest position for these words is directly in front of the word or phrase they point at. Move the word, and you move the spotlight, which changes the meaning.

English speakers trip over this mostly because of too and as well, which usually sit at the end of an English sentence. The Italian anche does not work like that: anche goes before the thing that is added, not at the end of the sentence.

Word list
ancheA1 also anche Maria = Maria too soloA1 only solo Maria = only Maria almenoA2 at least almeno tre persone = at least three people solamenteA2 only solamente domani = only tomorrow soltantoA2 only soltanto due persone = only two people soprattuttoA2 especially soprattutto la sera = especially in the evening specialmenteA2 especially specialmente d'estate = especially in summer addiritturaB1 even addirittura tre volte = as many as three times ancheB1 even anche un bambino = even a child esattamenteB1 exactly esattamente alle tre = at exactly three o'clock neancheB1 not even neanche io = me neither nemmenoB1 not even non è venuto nemmeno Luca = not even Luca came neppureB1 not even non ha detto neppure grazie = he didn't even say thanks perfinoB1 even perfino la domenica = even on Sundays perlomenoB1 at least perlomeno dieci euro = at least ten euros persinoB1 even persino Maria = even Maria proprioB1 exactly proprio questo libro = exactly this book
How it works

Ask yourself which part of the sentence the focus word is about, then put the focus word right before that part. Compare these two sentences, which use exactly the same words:

Anche Luca ha comprato il libro.
(Luca bought the book too, not just the others.)
Luca ha comprato anche il libro.
(Luca bought the book too, as well as other things.)

In English, both ideas can come out as Luca bought the book too, and only your voice shows the difference. Italian shows it with word order. The same goes for solo:

Solo Maria parla tedesco.
(Only Maria speaks German.)
Maria parla solo tedesco.
(Maria only speaks German, no other language.)

A very common everyday case is anche io (me too, I also), never io anche.

The words
Only

solo, soltanto and solamente all mean the same thing and follow the same pattern. Solo is the most common in speech. As an adverb it never changes its ending, so it is solo Maria and also solo le ragazze.

Abbiamo soltanto due biglietti.
(We only have two tickets.)
Even

persino, perfino and addirittura highlight something surprising. Anche can also mean even when the context makes it surprising.

Persino Maria è arrivata in orario.
(Even Maria arrived on time.)
Lavora perfino la domenica.
(He even works on Sundays.)
Mi ha chiamato addirittura tre volte.
(She called me as many as three times.)
Anche un bambino lo capisce.
(Even a child understands it.)
Not even

nemmeno, neanche and neppure are the negative partners of anche. They also go before what they focus on.

Non è venuto nemmeno Luca.
(Not even Luca came.)
Neanche io lo so.
(I don't know either.)
Non ha detto neppure grazie.
(He didn't even say thank you.)
Especially and exactly

soprattutto and proprio also sit right before the part they single out.

Mi piace il mare, soprattutto la sera.
(I like the sea, especially in the evening.)
Cercavo proprio questo libro.
(This is exactly the book I was looking for.)
Watch out
  • The typical mistake is copying English and putting anche at the end: say anche io vengo or vengo anche io, never io vengo anche.
  • Placing the word right before its target is the safe default, not the only option. Solo and addirittura can also appear after the verb or at the start of the sentence with a broader meaning, for example ho solo chiesto (I only asked). When in doubt, put it right before the target.
  • With nemmeno, neanche and neppure, remember non: if the focus word comes after the verb, you need non before the verb (non è venuto nemmeno Luca). If it comes first, you drop non (nemmeno Luca è venuto).
  • Proprio before a verb or adjective means really: è proprio bello (it's really nice). It still points at the word right after it.
Summary

Find the part of the sentence you want to spotlight and put the focus word right in front of it: anche Luca, solo il libro, persino oggi, nemmeno io. Do not park anche at the end of the sentence the way English does with too.