Meaning
meanwhile
- in the meantime
In a sentence
Io preparo la cena, tu frattanto apparecchia.
I’ll make dinner, meanwhile you set the table.
Frattanto, hai già finito i compiti?
In the meantime, have you already finished your homework?
Lui è uscito; io, frattanto, non ho detto nulla.
He went out; meanwhile, I didn’t say anything.
Usage notes
- More literary and formal than intanto or nel frattempo; common in writing, narration, and older-style speech.
- Often placed at the start of a clause: Frattanto, lui arrivò. Mid-sentence use is possible but less common.
- Do not confuse it with fra tanto, which is a different sequence and usually not interchangeable.