Significado
To learn through hard work.
Contexto cultural
The concept of 'gavetta' is central to Italian professional life. It is often expected that one 'suffers' a bit at the beginning of their career to earn the respect of older colleagues. Football (calcio) commentators frequently use this phrase when a young talent from a big club like Juventus or Milan is sent to a smaller team on loan. The phrase evokes the Renaissance 'bottega' where apprentices spent years doing menial tasks before being allowed to paint. Despite modernization, the 'farsi le ossa' mentality persists in law firms and medical residencies, where long hours are seen as a rite of passage.
Use it in Interviews
It shows you are realistic about the learning process and willing to work hard.
Watch the Plural
Never say 'gli ossi' in this idiom. It sounds like you are a dog with a treat.
Significado
To learn through hard work.
Use it in Interviews
It shows you are realistic about the learning process and willing to work hard.
Watch the Plural
Never say 'gli ossi' in this idiom. It sounds like you are a dog with a treat.
Combine with 'Gavetta'
Saying 'Ho fatto la gavetta e mi sono fatto le ossa' makes you sound like a native master of professional Italian.
Respect the Struggle
Italians value the 'struggle' phase of a career. Don't be afraid to use this to describe your hardships.
Teste-se
Completa la frase con la forma corretta di 'farsi le ossa'.
Quando ero giovane, io ______ in un piccolo giornale locale.
The verb must be reflexive ('mi sono fatto') and use the feminine plural 'le ossa'.
In quale di queste situazioni è appropriato usare 'farsi le ossa'?
Scegli l'opzione corretta:
The idiom refers to gaining practical experience through hard work at the start of a career.
Completa il dialogo tra due amici.
A: 'Perché accetti questo stage non pagato?' B: 'Perché è un'ottima opportunità per ______ nel settore della moda.'
The speaker is talking about themselves, so 'farmi' is the correct reflexive form.
Abbina l'espressione al suo significato figurato.
Farsi le ossa
This is the core figurative meaning of the idiom.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosQuando ero giovane, io ______ in un piccolo giornale locale.
The verb must be reflexive ('mi sono fatto') and use the feminine plural 'le ossa'.
Scegli l'opzione corretta:
The idiom refers to gaining practical experience through hard work at the start of a career.
A: 'Perché accetti questo stage non pagato?' B: 'Perché è un'ottima opportunità per ______ nel settore della moda.'
The speaker is talking about themselves, so 'farmi' is the correct reflexive form.
Farsi le ossa
This is the core figurative meaning of the idiom.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasIt's neutral. You can use it with friends, but also in professional settings like interviews to show a good attitude.
Usually no. It's for the beginning of a journey. For an old person, you'd say 'ha molta esperienza'.
'Gavetta' is about the low-level job you do; 'farsi le ossa' is about the strength/experience you gain from it.
90% of the time, yes. But it can be used for any difficult life experience that makes you stronger.
Yes! It's very common to use it in the present continuous to describe what you are doing right now.
No, that would be 'rompersi le ossa'. Be careful with the verb!
Yes, it is a standard Italian idiom recognized from North to South.
Yes, if you are learning it in a 'hard' way, like living in the country and struggling to communicate.
It uses 'essere' because it is reflexive: 'Mi sono fatto le ossa'.
Not really, but you can say someone 'non si è ancora fatto le ossa' to mean they are still green/naive.
Frases relacionadas
fare la gavetta
synonymTo start from the bottom.
farsi il mazzo
similarTo work extremely hard.
rompersi l'osso del collo
contrastTo break one's neck (to fail miserably or take a huge risk).
essere un osso duro
builds onTo be a tough nut to crack.
mettere carne al fuoco
similarTo start many things at once.
