ILGUR: Italian Language, Grammar and Usage Resource

Below is a list of special idiomatic verbs, their meanings and some examples of usage:

• farcela (a + infinitive) = to be able to (synonymous with riuscire):

  Farcela takes avere in compound tenses. The past participle agrees with the pronoun, la:

  Ce la faccio ad andare a scuola oggi. Non sono ammalato piu.
  I am able to go to school today. I’m not sick anymore.

  Non ce la abbiamo fatta a giocare a tennis perche c’e stata una tempesta.
  We weren’t able to play tennis today because there was a storm.

• sentirsela (di + infinitive) = to have the courage to (synonymous with: avere il coraggio di)

  Sentirsela takes essere in compound tenses. The se in sentirsela is a reflexive pronoun and must agree with the subject. Remember that the past participle will always agree with the pronoun, la:

  Non se la sente di sposarsi.
  She doesn’t have the courage to get married.

  Loro non se la sono sentita di mangiare i sushi quando sono andati in Giappone.
  They didn’t have the courage to eat sushi in Japan.

• cavarsela = to find a solution, to overcome a difficult situation, to know how to do something well enough

  Cavarsela takes essere in compound tenses. The se in cavarsela is a reflexive pronoun and always agrees with the subject:

  Il problema di matematica era difficile, ma me la sono cavata.
  The math problem was difficult, but I found a solution.

• mettercela tutta = to do everything possible

  Mettercela tutta takes avere in compound tenses. The past participle agrees with the pronoun, la:

  I medici hanno provato a mettercela tutta, ma non potevano salvare mio figlio.
  The doctors tried to do everything possible, ma they were unable to save my son.

• prendersela = to offended by; to take offense at

  Prendersela takes essere in compound tenses. Remember that the past participle agrees with the pronoun, la. The se in prendersela is a reflexive pronoun and always agrees with the subject:

  Se la prende sempre facilmente.
  She is always offended easily.

  L’altra sera Maria se l’è presa molto per l’atteggiamento antipatico di suo marito.
  The other evening Maria was offended much by her husband’s unpleasant attitude.

• vedersela brutta = to find oneself in a dangerous situation

  Vedersela brutta takes essere in compound tenses. The past participle always agrees with the pronoun, la. The se is a reflexive pronoun and agrees with the subject:

  I soldati se la sono vista brutta durante la guerra.
  The soldiers found themselves in a dangerous situation during the war.

• passarsela bene/male: to find oneself in good/bad condition (synonymous with “stare bene/male”); to be well off, bad off (financially)

  Passarsela bene/male takes essere in compound tenses. The past participle always agrees with the pronoun, la. The se is a reflexive pronoun and agrees with the subject:

  Non me la passo bene dopo che ho studiato tutta la notte.
  I am not doing well after I studied all night.

  Me la passo bene dopo la mia vincità al lotto.
  I am doing well after my lottery win.