B1 Expression ニュートラル

fare a gara

to compete

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'fare a gara' to describe when two or more people are actively trying to outdo one another.

  • Means: To compete or vie with someone to prove superiority.
  • Used in: Describing siblings, coworkers, or friends trying to be the 'best'.
  • Don't confuse: It is not a literal race, but a figurative struggle for status.
Two people + trophy icon + 'who is better?' = fare a gara

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means to compete. You use it when people try to be better than others. For example, two friends want to see who runs faster.
In Italian, 'fare a gara' is used to describe a situation where people are competing. It is common to say 'fare a gara a chi' followed by an action. It shows that people are trying to win or be the best at something.
The expression 'fare a gara' is a versatile way to describe competitive behavior. It is frequently used in social or professional contexts to highlight that individuals are striving to outdo one another. By adding 'a chi' and a verb, you can specify exactly what the competition is about, making it a very precise tool for describing social dynamics.
At this level, you should recognize that 'fare a gara' often carries a nuanced, slightly critical undertone. It is not merely about athletic competition, but rather about the psychological drive to achieve status or recognition. When you use this phrase, you are often commenting on the behavior of others, suggesting that their competitive drive might be excessive or performative in nature.
The idiom 'fare a gara' functions as a linguistic marker for social rivalry. It is particularly effective in discourse analysis to describe performative competition. Unlike 'competere', which denotes a formal state of rivalry, 'fare a gara' emphasizes the iterative, ongoing nature of the action. It is a quintessential example of how Italian uses simple verbs like 'fare' to construct complex social observations.
Syntactically, 'fare a gara' functions as a phrasal unit that captures the essence of agonistic social interaction. From a cognitive linguistic perspective, it maps the domain of physical racing onto the abstract domain of social status. Its usage is highly pragmatic, often serving as a tool for social critique or irony. Mastery of this phrase involves understanding the subtle shift from its literal roots in competitive sports to its contemporary role as a descriptor for interpersonal friction and the performative nature of human ambition.

意味

To try to be better than others.

🌍

文化的背景

In Italy, 'fare a gara' is often used to describe the 'bella figura' phenomenon, where people compete to appear more successful or refined. Similar competitive dynamics exist in other Mediterranean cultures, often centered around hospitality and food. In the modern Italian workplace, this phrase is used to describe the 'rat race' mentality. It is very common in Italian families to describe siblings who are constantly trying to get parental approval.

💡

The 'a chi' rule

Always remember to add 'a chi' to make the phrase complete and natural.

⚠️

Don't use for sports

If you are talking about a real race, use 'fare una gara' instead.

意味

To try to be better than others.

💡

The 'a chi' rule

Always remember to add 'a chi' to make the phrase complete and natural.

⚠️

Don't use for sports

If you are talking about a real race, use 'fare una gara' instead.

🎯

Use it for irony

It's a great way to point out petty behavior in a social setting.

自分をテスト

Complete the sentence with the correct phrase.

Loro ________ a chi finisce prima.

✓ 正解！ ✗ おしい！ 正解: fanno a gara

The idiomatic expression is 'fare a gara'.

Which sentence is correct?

Select the correct usage.

✓ 正解！ ✗ おしい！ 正解: Non fare a gara a chi è più ricco.

The preposition 'a' is required.

Complete the dialogue.

A: 'Ho comprato una macchina nuova.' B: 'Io ne ho comprate due! Non ________!'

✓ 正解！ ✗ おしい！ 正解: fare a gara

The phrase fits perfectly to describe the competitive response.

🎉 スコア： /3

ビジュアル学習ツール

よくある質問

12 問

No, use 'fare una gara' for a specific sporting event.

It can be, if you are pointing out someone's annoying behavior.

Usually, yes, to specify the competition.

Avoid it; it's too informal.

Collaborare (to collaborate).

Very common in daily life.

Yes, 'Faccio a gara con mio fratello'.

Mostly, but it can be playful.

It's an idiomatic construction.

Yes, 'Abbiamo fatto a gara'.

Yes, but mostly in informal articles or social media.

No, it's standard Italian.

関連フレーズ

🔗

Mettersi in gara

similar

To enter a competition

🔄

Sfidarsi

synonym

To challenge each other

🔗

Competere

similar

To compete

🔗

A chi la spara più grossa

builds on

To see who tells the biggest lie

どこで使う？

☕

Office Breakroom

Anna: Guarda, ho finito il report in un'ora!

Luca: Io in trenta minuti. Non fare a gara con me, Anna.

neutral
🏃

Playground

Child 1: Io salto più in alto!

Child 2: No, io! Facciamo a gara!

informal
📱

Dating App

User A: Ho visitato 20 paesi.

User B: Io 30. Non facciamo a gara, dai!

informal
🍷

Dinner Party

Host: Questo vino è annata 1990.

Guest: Il mio è del 1980. Non facciamo a gara a chi ha il vino più vecchio!

neutral
🏋️

Gym

Gym Bro 1: Ho alzato 100kg.

Gym Bro 2: Io 120kg. Facciamo a gara?

informal
💬

Social Media Comments

Commenter 1: La mia vacanza è stata bellissima.

Commenter 2: La mia di più. Fanno a gara a chi posta la foto più bella.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Gara' (race) where everyone is running to be the winner.

Visual Association

Imagine two people standing at a starting line, looking at each other with intense, slightly silly expressions, waiting for a whistle to start a race to see who can finish their coffee first.

Rhyme

Fare a gara, non è una cosa rara.

Story

Marco and Luca are at a party. Marco shows off his new watch. Luca immediately shows his new phone. They are doing it again—they are 'facendo a gara' to see who has the most expensive things.

Word Web

competizionesfidagaravincererivalitàconfronto

チャレンジ

Observe a conversation today and identify if someone is trying to 'outdo' the other person. Use the phrase in your head to describe it.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Competir por ver quién

Italian 'fare a gara' is more idiomatic for social situations than the Spanish 'competir'.

French high

Faire la course à qui

French uses the definite article 'la' while Italian does not.

German moderate

Wetteifern

German is more direct with a single verb, whereas Italian uses a phrasal construction.

Japanese moderate

競い合う (kisoiau)

Japanese focuses on the mutual action, while Italian focuses on the 'making' of the contest.

Arabic moderate

يتسابقون (yatasabaqun)

Arabic is more tied to the concept of a literal race.

Chinese moderate

比一比 (bǐ yī bǐ)

Chinese focuses on the act of comparing, Italian on the act of racing.

Korean moderate

경쟁하다 (gyeongjaenghada)

Korean lacks the casual, idiomatic 'race' metaphor found in Italian.

Portuguese high

Competir para ver quem

Portuguese is slightly more formal in its common usage.

Easily Confused

fare a gara 対 Fare una gara

Learners think it's the same as 'fare a gara'.

'Fare una gara' is for a specific, singular event (like a race). 'Fare a gara' is for the ongoing behavior.

よくある質問 (12)

No, use 'fare una gara' for a specific sporting event.

It can be, if you are pointing out someone's annoying behavior.

Usually, yes, to specify the competition.

Avoid it; it's too informal.

Collaborare (to collaborate).

Very common in daily life.

Yes, 'Faccio a gara con mio fratello'.

Mostly, but it can be playful.

It's an idiomatic construction.

Yes, 'Abbiamo fatto a gara'.

Yes, but mostly in informal articles or social media.

No, it's standard Italian.

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