Bedeutung
Something that I am not very good at.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Italians often use this phrase as a form of 'schermaglia sociale' (social skirmishing). It's a way to be modest even if you are actually decent at something, to avoid appearing arrogant. In Tuscany, you might hear more colorful variations like 'essere un chiodo' (to be a nail) to mean you are bad at something, but 'non è il mio forte' remains the standard polite version. In Italian offices, using this phrase is a sign of 'onestà intellettuale' (intellectual honesty). It is better to say it early than to fail a deadline. There is a strong tradition of hospitality. If a host says 'La cucina non è il mio forte,' it is almost always a 'bugia di cortesia' (polite lie), and you are about to eat a 5-course meal.
Add 'proprio' for emphasis
Saying 'non è proprio il mio forte' makes you sound very natural and slightly more humble.
Don't forget the 'IL'
English speakers often say 'non è mio forte'. Always remember the article 'il'!
Bedeutung
Something that I am not very good at.
Add 'proprio' for emphasis
Saying 'non è proprio il mio forte' makes you sound very natural and slightly more humble.
Don't forget the 'IL'
English speakers often say 'non è mio forte'. Always remember the article 'il'!
Use it in interviews
When asked about a weakness, use this phrase for a minor skill to show self-awareness without damaging your credibility.
Teste dich selbst
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the phrase.
Scusa, puoi aiutarmi con questo calcolo? La matematica non ___ il mio ___.
We use the singular 'è' because 'matematica' is singular, and 'forte' is the correct idiomatic noun.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I'm not good at dancing'?
Come si dice 'I'm not good at dancing' in modo naturale?
'Il mio forte' is the standard idiomatic expression.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
A: Ti va di giocare a scacchi? B: Volentieri, ma ti avverto: la strategia ___.
Both 'non è il mio forte' and 'non è il mio campo' work well here, though 'forte' is more common for skills.
Match the person to the thing that is likely 'non è il suo forte'.
1. Un cuoco che brucia l'acqua. 2. Un autista che si perde sempre. 3. Un cantante stonato.
These match the skills to the specific failures described.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenScusa, puoi aiutarmi con questo calcolo? La matematica non ___ il mio ___.
We use the singular 'è' because 'matematica' is singular, and 'forte' is the correct idiomatic noun.
Come si dice 'I'm not good at dancing' in modo naturale?
'Il mio forte' is the standard idiomatic expression.
A: Ti va di giocare a scacchi? B: Volentieri, ma ti avverto: la strategia ___.
Both 'non è il mio forte' and 'non è il mio campo' work well here, though 'forte' is more common for skills.
1. Un cuoco che brucia l'acqua. 2. Un autista che si perde sempre. 3. Un cantante stonato.
These match the skills to the specific failures described.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it is only used for skills, subjects, or activities. To say you don't like someone, use 'non mi sta simpatico'.
It is always 'il mio forte' because 'forte' is a masculine noun in this idiom.
No, it's perfectly fine for a professional setting. It's polite and honest.
The opposite is 'essere il mio forte' (positive) or 'essere il mio cavallo di battaglia'.
No, just say 'Cucinare non è il mio forte'. No 'di' is needed.
Not necessarily. It just means you aren't good at it. You might love singing even if it's not your forte!
Yes: 'Le lingue non sono il mio forte.' Make sure the verb 'essere' matches.
Very similar, but 'non essere portato' implies you were born without the talent.
Use 'non è il suo forte'.
Yes, it is standard Italian used from North to South.
Verwandte Redewendungen
essere portato per
synonymTo have a natural talent for something.
cavallo di battaglia
contrastOne's strongest skill or best performance.
essere negato per
similarTo be completely hopeless at something.
non essere nelle mie corde
similarTo not be to one's taste or style.
