Enfatizzare vs. sottolineare vs. evidenziare
The Italian words 'enfatizzare', 'sottolineare', and 'evidenziare' all convey the idea of emphasizing or highlighting something, but they have subtle differences in usage and connotation.
Enfatizzare
'Enfatizzare' means to emphasize or stress something, often with a sense of exaggeration or dramatic effect.
Il politico ha enfatizzato l'importanza della riforma durante il suo discorso.
(The politician emphasized the importance of the reform during his speech.)
Non enfatizzare troppo il problema, altrimenti sembrerai drammatico.
(Don't overemphasize the problem, or you'll seem dramatic.)
Sottolineare
'Sottolineare' literally means to underline, but figuratively it's used to stress or point out something important, often in a more subtle or neutral way than 'enfatizzare'.
Vorrei sottolineare che questa decisione avrà conseguenze a lungo termine.
(I'd like to underline that this decision will have long-term consequences.)
L'insegnante ha sottolineato l'importanza di studiare regolarmente.
(The teacher stressed the importance of studying regularly.)
Evidenziare
'Evidenziare' means to highlight or make something evident, often used when pointing out specific details or making something visually stand out.
Il rapporto evidenzia le aree che necessitano di miglioramento.
(The report highlights the areas that need improvement.)
Ho evidenziato le parti più importanti del testo con un pennarello giallo.
(I highlighted the most important parts of the text with a yellow marker.)
Summary
While all three words relate to emphasizing or highlighting, 'enfatizzare' implies a stronger, sometimes exaggerated emphasis, 'sottolineare' suggests a more neutral stressing of importance, and 'evidenziare' focuses on making something visually or conceptually stand out.