This time, let’s revise three common verbs used in a particular way: farcela (= to make it, to succeed, to be up to it), prendersela (= to feel hurt/upset, be affected by) and sentirsela (= to feel up to/to feel like doing something). Note that they all contain the direct object pronoun ‘la’, which refers to an unspecified thing (in Italian, una cosa), and it’s placed at the end because the verb is in the infinitive. Have a look at these various examples:

Pensi di farcela? Ci sono trecento scalini  fino alla cima. = do you think you can make it? There are three-hundred steps to the top

Non ce la faremo mai! Il treno parte tra mezz’ora e siamo rimasti senza benzina = we’ll never make it! The train leaves in half an hour and we’ve run out of petrol

Ce l’ho fatta! Sono stata promossa! = I did it! I passed! [to pass an exam = essere promosso]

Non vale la pena prendersela quando le critiche vengono da persone ignoranti – it’s not worth getting upset when criticism comes from ignorant people

Me la sono presa a cuore: credevo che fosse un’amica e invece, per invidia, ha sparso dei pettegolezzi su di me = I was really hurt: I thought she was a friend instead, out of envy, she spread nasty rumours about me

Dai, non prendertela per una piccolezza = Come on, don’t get upset over a trivial matter

Te la senti di prendere la guida? Io mi sento stanca = do you feel like/are you up to taking over the driving? I’m feeling tired

Non ce la sentiamo proprio di uscire stasera: abbiamo un brutto raffreddore = we really don’t feel like/we’re not up to going out tonight: we have a bad cold

There is another expression you can use when you simply want to say ‘feel like doing something’ – eg  Ti va di giocare a carte stasera? Vengono a trovarci i vicini e potremmo passare una bella serata giocando a canasta = do you feel like playing cards this evening? Our neighbours are coming to visit and we could spend a lovely evening playing canasta

Gina è di brutto umore e non le va di (or: non ha voglia di) rimanere per la festa = Gina is in a bad mood and she doesn’t feel like staying for the party.

Yvette Alberti