Meaning
Struggling to do something.
Cultural Background
In many Italian regions, especially in the North, there is a pride in 'faticare'. It's not just about working; it's about the grit required to overcome obstacles. Italian sports newspapers like 'La Gazzetta dello Sport' frequently use 'a fatica' to describe a hard-fought victory, emphasizing the drama and effort. In the South, 'faticare' is often used as the primary verb for 'to work', reflecting a history where labor was synonymous with physical struggle. Neorealist films often use 'a fatica' to depict the post-war struggle of ordinary people trying to survive in a broken economy.
The 'Barely' Rule
If you can replace it with 'barely' in English and it still makes sense, 'a fatica' is likely correct.
Avoid 'Molto'
Don't say 'molto a fatica'. If you need more emphasis, use 'con grande fatica'.
Meaning
Struggling to do something.
The 'Barely' Rule
If you can replace it with 'barely' in English and it still makes sense, 'a fatica' is likely correct.
Avoid 'Molto'
Don't say 'molto a fatica'. If you need more emphasis, use 'con grande fatica'.
Pair with 'Riuscire'
The most natural way to use this is with the verb 'riuscire a' (e.g., 'Riesco a fatica a...').
Humility
Using 'a fatica' when describing your successes makes you sound humble and hardworking to Italians.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct phrase.
C'è troppa nebbia, vedo la strada ____.
We use 'a fatica' to describe sensory difficulty like seeing in the fog.
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'I barely managed to arrive on time'?
'Arrivare' takes 'essere' as an auxiliary, and 'a fatica' is the correct adverbial phrase.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
A: Hai finito il libro per domani? B: Sì, ma ____. Era lunghissimo!
The context 'Era lunghissimo!' implies a struggle, making 'a fatica' the logical choice.
Match the situation to the use of 'a fatica'.
Situation: You are trying to hold back a laugh in a serious meeting.
'Trattenere a fatica' is the idiomatic way to say you are struggling to suppress an emotion.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
A Fatica vs. Lavoro Sodo
Practice Bank
4 exercisesC'è troppa nebbia, vedo la strada ____.
We use 'a fatica' to describe sensory difficulty like seeing in the fog.
How do you say 'I barely managed to arrive on time'?
'Arrivare' takes 'essere' as an auxiliary, and 'a fatica' is the correct adverbial phrase.
A: Hai finito il libro per domani? B: Sì, ma ____. Era lunghissimo!
The context 'Era lunghissimo!' implies a struggle, making 'a fatica' the logical choice.
Situation: You are trying to hold back a laugh in a serious meeting.
'Trattenere a fatica' is the idiomatic way to say you are struggling to suppress an emotion.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsIt is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
No, for a hard rock or hard bread, use 'duro'.
They are very similar, but 'a fatica' is more common for 'barely', while 'con fatica' emphasizes the physical effort.
No, it is an adverbial phrase and always stays the same.
No, that sounds like you are struggling to do your job. Use 'lavoro sodo'.
'Vedo a fatica' or 'Vedo a malapena'.
Yes, to describe slow growth or difficult negotiations.
No, it usually implies success, but a success that was very difficult to achieve.
Yes, like 'trattenere a fatica la commozione' (struggling to hold back emotion).
Very common! Italian pop songs love the drama of struggling for love.
'Facilmente' (easily) or 'senza fatica' (without effort).
Yes, for emphasis: 'A fatica, ho aperto gli occhi'.
Related Phrases
a malapena
synonymbarely / hardly
con grande sforzo
similarwith great effort
senza fatica
contrasteffortlessly
fare fatica
builds onto struggle / to find something hard
sudare sette camicie
specialized formto work extremely hard (to sweat through seven shirts)
