Verbs That Struck My Fancy

Question 1

Volerci/Metterci

Answer 1

VOLERCI: To take/require (X amount of time, etc). Only third person sing, plural.

Cf. METTERCI: To take me/you/she/etc X amount of time. Can take all persons, sing and plural.

Note: Use METTERCI only with time. VOLERCI isn’t limited to time, ex.: Per andare al cinema ci vuole il biglietto.

Question 2

Andarsene

Answer 2

To go away, leave

Note: Andare via –to go away

Question 3

Fregaresene

Answer 3

To not give a hoot (di)

Fregare: To rub; (slang) to steal/cheat/dupe; (vulg) to make love with

Note: strozzare - strangle, fleece/swindle

Question 4

Pesarci su

Answer 4

Think about it

Es.: Mi ha chiesto di sposarlo, ma devo pensarci su.

Without “su”, one is not thinking as deeply

Ragionarci: Think about something more complex

Question 5

Pensarci

Answer 5

1. To think about/of it (pensare a)[things]

Es.: Avrei dovuto portare l’ombrello, ma non ci ho pensato.

Cf: Lo/la penso: I think of him/her [people]

2. To handle/take care of something

Es.: Ci penso io: I’ll take care of it. [Prendersi cura di q.c.: Me ne prendo cura io]

Question 6

Ammollare (ammollo)

Answer 6

To soften, soak, deliver (a slap), slacken, (ref) to get soaked

Ammollire: to soften, weaken

Mollare (mollo): let go, slacken, soak, give up

Question 7

Avercela

Answer 7

To be angry or upset by someone

Perché ce l’hai con me? Non ho fatto niente!!

Averla con: To be angry at

Note: spostare - tr. To move; to change; to upset. ref. To move; to get out of place; to be upset (spostato: ill-adjusted, out of place … misfit)

Question 8

Entrarci

Answer 8

To have to do with (es. La fortuna non c’entra./Luck has nothing to do with it.)

Lei non c’entra: This is none of your business.
Questo non c’entra: This is besides the point.

Also: To make it/ find a place. (Con questi soldi non c’entro./I can’t make it with this money.)

Trovare posto, potere stare in qualcosa O avere una relazione logica con qualcosa

Question 9

Allignare

Answer 9

To take root, prosper

Radicare

Question 10

Tornare

Answer 10

Trans: (lit) restore; (obs) turn

Intrans (essere): return, (coll) jibe, agree, square (squadrare)

Tornare a bomba: return to the point (cf venire al dunque: come to the point)

Question 11

Tenerci
o
Tenere a qualcuno/qualcosa

Answer 11

To care about someone/thing

Tengo molto alla mia macchina.

Question 12

Rivolgere

Answer 12

To turn again; to revolve; to overturn; to train (a weapon); to address; to deter

Note: rivolgersi - to apply to

Volgere: To turn (dirigere: to direct; turn; lead)

Svolgere: to unfold, develop, take place (succedere)

Question 13

Stonare

Answer 13

To be out of place; to sing/play out of tune; to upset

Stonato: out-of-tune; upset; clashing (color); ( fig) absent-minded (distratto)

Note: spostare (sposto) - to upset; to move; to change; to upset (ref: get out of place; to be upset)

Spostato: ill-adjusted, out-of-place; misfit

Maldestro: clumsy, awkward

Question 14

Sconfiggere

Answer 14

To defeat, rout; to pull (a nail); to unfasten

Abbattere (fig) (to demolish; to fell; to depress/ ref. be downcast)

Question 15

Addossare (addosso)

Answer 15

To put on

Mettere, porre addosso

Addossarsi: to take upon oneself; to crowd together (addossarsi a: to lean against; to crowd)(appoggiarsi)

Addossato: leaning

Addosso: on; on oneself; on one’s back; about oneself

Dare addosso a qlcu: to assail s.o. (assalire)

Question 16

Casarci

Answer 16

Fall for it (a joke, a swindle)

Casare: to fall (cadere); drop; fit (clothes)

Casare della noia: to be bored to death

Present: casco, caschi, casca, caschiamo, cascate, cascano

Future: cascherò …

Rimanerci: (coll) To be duped/to be killed

Question 17

Contarci

Answer 17

Count on

Contare su

Contare: To count; limit; regard/value; propose

Question 18

Mancarci

Answer 18

To be close to doing something or something happening (to be missing [just] a bit of time …)

C’è mancato poco che non von vincessi la gara: I was close to winning the race

Mancare: To miss

Mancare a: To break (one’s word …)

Note cf: STARE PER + Infinitive = To be about to + verb

Question 19

Pattire

Answer 19

To suffer

Soffrire (intrans)

Note: To suffer (also transitive) - sopportare (bear; endure); tollerare (tolerate; bear); provare dolore

Provare: To test; try; taste; prove; feel (eg., anger)

Question 20

Ingannare

Answer 20

To deceive; cheat; elude; beguile

Ingannarsi: To be mistaken

Inganno: Deception; illusion

Ingannatore, -trice: Deceptive; imposter

Question 21

Starci

Answer 21

To be in agreement; accept; to be with someone; to be in a place

Starci di: To be in favor (Io ci starei d’andare al cinema)

Note: Stare con - to be on the side of

Question 22

Farcela

Answer 22

To be able to

Riuscire (a)

Question 23

Sottintendere

Answer 23

To understand, (ref) to be understood, be implied

Sottinteso: understood, implied; innuendo

Note: intendere- to understand; to hear; to intend; to mean

Question 24

Dare per scontato

Answer 24

To take s.t./s.o. for granted

Mi dà per sconto e non mi piace.

(Can shorten to: Dò per …)

(Note: Accent marks are to distinguish from other words.)

Scontare: To expiate; to discount

Question 25

Avvicinarsi

Answer 25

To move closer, approach

Quando il mostro si è avvincinato a me, avevo paura.

Cf. Avvincere: to fascinate, charm
Avvenire: to happen, occur (succedere)(accadere)

Question 26

Sbagliarsi

Answer 26

To make a mistake, be mistaken

Note: Sbagliare - to miss, to mistake
Sbaglio - error, mistake

Se non mi sbaglio, tu sei l’uomo più bello del mundo!

Question 27

Prevedere

Answer 27

To foresee

Avevo previsto che questo problema sarebbe accaduto.

Question 28

Compiere

Answer 28

To accomplish, complete, carry out

Compire: to complete, finish, accomplish, fulfill

Note: compirsi - to happen, come true

Note: per compir l’opera - as if it weren’t enough