Meaning
To perform better than others.
Cultural Background
The idiom reflects Italy's pride in engineering. Cars like Fiat and Ferrari are cultural icons, and mechanical metaphors are common in everyday speech. Italians love the idea of the 'out-of-class' performer—someone so good they don't fit the normal rules. This phrase is the verbal badge for such people. In Italian business culture, having 'una marcia in più' is often associated with 'intraprendenza' (resourcefulness) rather than just following orders. Italians often use this phrase to express genuine, non-envious admiration for a friend's success or talent.
Use it for compliments
It's one of the best ways to compliment an Italian person's talent without sounding too formal.
Don't forget the 'una'
Leaving out the article makes the phrase sound broken. Always say 'UNA marcia'.
Meaning
To perform better than others.
Use it for compliments
It's one of the best ways to compliment an Italian person's talent without sounding too formal.
Don't forget the 'una'
Leaving out the article makes the phrase sound broken. Always say 'UNA marcia'.
Combine with 'rispetto a'
To sound more native, always follow it with 'rispetto a' (compared to) when making a comparison.
Test Yourself
Conjugate the verb 'avere' correctly in the following sentence.
Noi ________ una marcia in più quando lavoriamo insieme.
The subject is 'Noi' (we), so the correct conjugation of 'avere' is 'abbiamo'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Select the correct option:
The idiom requires the verb 'avere', the indefinite article 'una', and the preposition 'in'.
Match the sentence to the most likely context.
Sentence: 'Questo nuovo modello di smartphone ha una marcia in più.'
The sentence refers to a 'smartphone model', making it a tech review context.
Complete the dialogue with the correct phrase.
A: Perché hai assunto Marco? B: Perché durante il colloquio ha dimostrato di ________________.
In a job interview context, you hire someone because they showed they have 'something extra' (una marcia in più).
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesNoi ________ una marcia in più quando lavoriamo insieme.
The subject is 'Noi' (we), so the correct conjugation of 'avere' is 'abbiamo'.
Select the correct option:
The idiom requires the verb 'avere', the indefinite article 'una', and the preposition 'in'.
Sentence: 'Questo nuovo modello di smartphone ha una marcia in più.'
The sentence refers to a 'smartphone model', making it a tech review context.
A: Perché hai assunto Marco? B: Perché durante il colloquio ha dimostrato di ________________.
In a job interview context, you hire someone because they showed they have 'something extra' (una marcia in più).
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsYes, you can use it for products, cars, or even food to say they are better than average.
It's better for an interview. On a CV, use 'competenze eccellenti' or 'vantaggio competitivo'.
It's rarely used in plural, but you could say 'hanno una marcia in più' for a group.
No, it means 'better' in any sense—smarter, more creative, more energetic.
Yes! If someone is truly incredible, you can say they have 'due marce in più' for emphasis.
Related Phrases
cambiare marcia
similarTo change pace or approach
avere quel qualcosa in più
synonymTo have that something extra
essere una spanna sopra
synonymTo be a head and shoulders above
ingranare la quarta
builds onTo speed up significantly
