Learn Advanced Italian!

In this video lesson I'm gonna explain three Italian verbs you should know.

These three verbs aren't usually taught in Italian courses for non-native speakers. If you use them, you will definitely make a good impression and show that you know the Italian language exceptionally well.

If you prefer, you can turn on Italian or English subtitles.

I'm Luca and I welcome you to my channel!

If your goal is to speak Italian naturally, you've come to the right place!

But let's move on to the first verb!

The first verb I wanted to explain is "scapicollarsi".

Strictly speaking, "scapicollarsi" means running fast down the stairs or down a slope. So in the strict sense "scapicollarsi" means running down the stairs or moving downhill fast, that is, running.

The verb "scapicollarsi" places emphasis on the fact that somebody runs so fast, that there's the risk that they fall and break their neck. Or in general there's the risk that they fall and get hurt.

For example, if there's an obstacle, or the person misplaces their foot, they could trip and get hurt.

I don't know if you know the verb "inciampare". The verb "inciampare" is used, for example, when somebody is walking, then they accidentally knock their foot against something which is on the ground. Well, if the person falls, I can say that this person "è inciampata".

For example, if somebody is walking and knocks their foot against a stone, and falls, I can say that this person "è inciampata su un sasso".

But let's go back to the verb "scapicollarsi"!

Like I said, in the strictest sense this verb means running so fast that there's the risk that you fall and get hurt. Usually, though, this verb is not used in the strict sense, but in the broad sense.

By extension, "scapicollarsi" means running or rushing somewhere immediately, that is, hurriedly, as soon as possible. If somebody "si scapicolla", it means that they hurry up to get somewhere as soon as possible.

For example, I could say: "Era già tardi e Davide, per arrivare in tempo alla stazione, si è scapicollato".

Or: "Era già tardi e Davide si è scapicollato per arrivare in tempo alla stazione".

What does this sentence mean? Given that it was already late and he risked arriving late to the station, Davide made haste and rushed to the station.

Another example could be this: "I almost missed my flight. Per arrivare in tempo mi sono dovuto scapicollare".

What does it mean? I had to hurry up and go as fast as possible to the airport.

In addition, the verb "scapicollarsi" can also be used with a more general meaning, to mean doing something as soon as possible. That is, not just running somewhere or rushing somewhere, but also doing something as soon as possible. That is, doing something right away, without waiting.

I'm gonna give you an example with the verb "scapicollarsi" used this way!

"Ho chiesto a Laura di aiutarmi e lei si è scapicollata". Or: "Ho chiesto a Laura di aiutarmi e lei si è scapicollata per aiutarmi".

What does it mean? Laura did right away what I asked her.

Instead, if I say "Ho chiesto a Laura di aiutarmi, ma lei non si è scapicollata", what does it mean?

She didn't rush to my aid. That is: I asked her to help me, she didn't come to my aid, time passed and then in all likelihood she didn't help me.

Another example could be this: "In passato, quando ho avuto bisogno, i miei amici non si sono scapicollati".

What does it mean? They didn't rush to my aid. That is: I asked these people to help me, and these people didn't make haste, so to speak, they didn't rush to my aid.

Please note that "scapicollarsi" is a reflexive verb.

The forms of the present indicative are: io mi scapicollo, tu ti scapicolli, lui or lei si scapicolla, noi ci scapicolliamo, voi vi scapicollate e loro si scapicollano.

The forms of the passato prossimo for masculine subjects are: io mi sono scapicollato, tu ti sei scapicollato, lui si è scapicollato, noi ci siamo scapicollati, voi vi siete scapicollati e loro si sono scapicollati.

For feminine subjects, instead, the forms of the passato prossimo are: io mi sono scapicollata, tu ti sei scapicollata, lei si è scapicollata, noi ci siamo scapicollate, voi vi siete scapicollate e loro si sono scapicollate.

But let's see the second verb!

The second verb I wanted to explain is "arronzare".

"Arronzare" means doing a job poorly, carelessly, hastily, shoddily and sketchily, so to speak, without paying attention to details.

I'm gonna give you right away an example with this verb!

"Mi raccomando, questo lavoro fallo bene! Non arronzare, altrimenti poi bisogna rifarlo".

Or: "Mi raccomando, questo lavoro fallo bene! Non arronzarlo, altrimenti poi bisogna rifarlo".

Another example sentence could be: "Non mi piace lavorare con Cristina, arronza sempre tutto. Whenever she has to do something, she does it hastily and sketchily".

Basically, as you can see from these examples, if someone "arronza", it means that this person does a given job shoddily and/or sketchily. That is, carelessly. Meaning that - yes, they did the job, but they did it carelessly. For example, they forgot certain things or didn't pay attention to certain details. "Un lavoro arronzato" is the opposite of a good job.

For example, 95 per cent of the Italian lessons which you can find on the Internet are "arronzate". What does it mean? It means that they've been made like so, with no effort, without care, if you will, just for the sake of making them and saying: "That's it! I've published another Italian language lesson".

For example, let's say that a language instructor is used to publish one lesson per week, right? However, in a given week this instructor is very busy, he doesn't have much time, but he still wants to publish his weekly lesson. So what does he do? "L'arronza". Or "arronza".

The verb "arronzare" can be used with no arguments, that is, "arronzare" in general, or transitively, that is "arronzare" + something, eg. "arronzare una lezione".

In Italian there are various phrases which have a meaning similar to that of the verb "arronzare". You may not know some of them, because they aren't typically taught in Italian courses for non-native speakers.

One of these phrases is: "fare qualcosa alla bell'e meglio". Some people say that, while other people say: "fare qualcosa alla bene e meglio".

According to the dictionary, the correct form is "fare qualcosa alla bell'e meglio". To be honest, though, also the form "fare qualcosa alla bene e meglio" is very, very common.

That is, technically speaking, and if I got this right, the phrase "alla bene e meglio" is simply wrong, and it shouldn't exist. However, many people do say that. For some reasons, instead of saying "alla bell'e meglio", many people say "alla bene e meglio".

An example could be: "Il lavoro è stato fatto alla bell'e meglio. Bisogna rifarlo".

Or: "Il lavoro è stato fatto alla bene e meglio. Bisogna rifarlo".

What does it mean? The job has been done carelessly and sketchily. That is, in other words, the person who did this job "ha arronzato". Or: the person "ha arronzato questo lavoro".

Another example sentence could be: "Quell'idraulico lavora alla bell'e meglio. Stop calling him!"

Or: "Quell'idraulico lavora alla bene e meglio. Sto calling him!".

What does it mean? That plumber works poorly, he works carelessly.

But let's move on to the third verb!

The third verb I wanted to explain is "sbolognare".

This verb in all likelihood comes from Bologna. I mean... from the name of this city. Thing is, in the past in Bologna people used to sell fake gold or low-quality metal objects (the so-called "oro di Bologna").

Strictly speaking, "sbolognare" means giving away fake coins.

Broadly speaking, instead, the verb "sbolognare" means giving away something worthless or useless. In other words, an object which has no value or is useless. In a word, an object that nobody wants.

By "giving away" I mean for free or paid, also because, like I said, this verb is used in reference to things that nobody wants. So "sbolognare" can mean giving something away for money or giving something away for free.

An example sentence with this verb could be: "Questi telefoni non riusciamo a sbolognarli. Nobody wants them. They have been here for three years".

Another example could be: "Hai la casa piena di soprammobili. Secondo me dovresti sbolognarli a qualcuno".

I don't know if you know the word "soprammobile". The word "soprammobile" refers to an object (typically small in size), which essentially has no purpose, it's usually put on a shelf and that's it. So the only function of a "soprammobile" is to be placed on a piece of furniture. A "soprammobile" is only intended for ornament.

The verb "sbolognare" can also be used with a more general meaning, in reference not to the financial or monetary value or the utility of something, but when talking about something ugly that nobody wants.

An example sentence could be: "In quel negozio volevano sbolognarmi a tutti i costi un vestito orrendo". So in this case the verb "sbolognare" doesn't refer to the economic value or the utility, but to the fact that this dress is ugly.

The verb "sbolognare" is also used in a slightly different way. For example: "Il mio collega cerca sempre di sbolognarmi i lavori più fastidiosi".

It's clear that in this sentence I could also use the verb "lasciare". For example, I could say: "Il mio collega cerca sempre di lasciarmi i lavori più fastidiosi". However, I would say that the verb "sbolognare" is much more expressive, it puts emphasis on the facts that nobody wants to do those tasks.

In Italian we have a verb similar to "sbolognare", which is "rifilare". Specifically, the phrase pattern is: "rifilare qualcosa a qualcuno". You can't just say "Ho rifilato", you need to specify what and to whom.

You probably don't know this verb, because it isn't usually taught in Italian classes.

"Rifilare" has several meanings and may mean, among other things, giving someone something unpleasant or undesirable. In this sense, it is quite close in meaning to the verb "sbolognare".

For example, I could say: "Ti hanno rifilato un telefono che non vale niente".

Or: "Il mio collega mi rifila sempre i lavori più fasti..." - Ok, here there are some intonation issues... "Il mio collega mi rifila sempre i lavori più fastidiosi".

Another example sentence could be the following: "I had a look at some second-hand cars, but I couldn't find anything. Hanno cercato di rifilarmi una macchina vecchissima che aveva già fatto 200.000 chilometri. E poi si chiedono perché non riescono a sbolognarla!"

Well, I hope that you liked these three verbs!

In the comments please let me know if you already knew them!

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