A1 Idiom 中性

a caso

Randomly

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'a caso' to describe doing something randomly, without a plan, or just picking something out of a hat.

  • Means: Doing something randomly or without a specific plan or criteria.
  • Used in: Picking movies, dressing quickly, or answering questions without thinking.
  • Don't confuse: With 'per caso', which means 'by accident' or 'by chance'.
🎲 + 🤷‍♂️ = a caso

Explanation at your level:

'A caso' is a very simple way to say 'randomly'. You use it when you don't have a plan. For example, if you pick a pizza from a menu without looking, you pick it 'a caso'. It is two easy words: 'a' and 'caso'. It never changes, so it is very easy to use in a sentence.
At this level, you can use 'a caso' to describe daily actions. It functions as an adverb. Use it after verbs like 'comprare', 'mangiare', or 'guardare'. It helps you explain that you didn't have a specific reason for your choice. Remember, it is different from 'per caso', which means 'by chance'.
As an intermediate learner, you should recognize 'a caso' as an adverbial locution. It's essential for describing spontaneous behavior or lack of organization. You can also use it to criticize someone's logic, such as 'stai parlando a caso' (you're talking nonsense). It adds a layer of natural-sounding fluency to your descriptions of decision-making processes.
At the B2 level, you should distinguish between 'a caso' and its more pejorative variant 'a casaccio'. While 'a caso' is neutral randomness, 'a casaccio' implies a lack of care or quality. You'll encounter 'a caso' in literature and media to describe the chaotic nature of life or the stochastic elements of a plot. It's a key component of idiomatic Italian speech.
In advanced Italian, 'a caso' serves as a versatile tool for nuanced expression. It can denote a lack of teleological purpose in an action. You should be able to use it in philosophical or sociological discussions about randomness versus determinism. Understanding its placement and the subtle shift in tone when replaced by 'casualmente' or 'arbitrariamente' is crucial for achieving a near-native register.
For mastery, one must appreciate 'a caso' within the broader spectrum of Italian adverbial phrases denoting intentionality. It represents a semantic space where the agent abdicates their 'volontà' to the 'alea' (the roll of the dice). Analyzing its usage in contemporary Italian cinema or literature reveals it as a linguistic marker of the postmodern condition—where actions are often disconnected from grand narratives and performed, quite literally, 'a caso'.

意思

Without a specific plan.

🌍

文化背景

Italians often value 'spontaneità' (spontaneity). Doing things 'a caso' is often seen as a sign of being relaxed and not 'fissato' (obsessed) with rules. In Italian schools, teachers often say 'Non rispondere a caso!' to students who guess. It emphasizes that learning should be intentional, not luck-based. There is a concept called 'sprezzatura'—making something difficult look easy and unplanned. Sometimes, an outfit that looks 'a caso' is actually very carefully chosen. On Italian social media, 'a caso' is used to describe 'random' humor or memes that don't have a clear context, similar to 'shitposting' in English.

💡

The 'Choice' Test

If you can replace the phrase with 'without looking' or 'without thinking', 'a caso' is likely correct.

⚠️

Don't use with 'incontrare'

Unless you are a scientist selecting subjects, never say 'ho incontrato un amico a caso'. Use 'per caso'.

意思

Without a specific plan.

💡

The 'Choice' Test

If you can replace the phrase with 'without looking' or 'without thinking', 'a caso' is likely correct.

⚠️

Don't use with 'incontrare'

Unless you are a scientist selecting subjects, never say 'ho incontrato un amico a caso'. Use 'per caso'.

🎯

Sound like a native

Use 'a caso' when someone asks you 'Perché?' and you don't have a real reason. It's a very common 'shrug' in verbal form.

自我测试

Complete the sentence with the correct phrase.

Non ho un piano, cammino per la città ___.

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： a caso

When you walk without a plan, you walk 'a caso'.

Which sentence is correct for 'I met him by accident'?

Come si dice 'I met him by accident'?

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： L'ho incontrato per caso.

'Per caso' is used for accidental events, 'a caso' for random choices.

Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.

A: Quale pizza vuoi? B: Non lo so, prendine una ___.

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： a caso

B is asking A to pick any pizza randomly.

Match the phrase to the situation.

You are picking a card from a deck without looking.

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： Scegliere a caso

Picking a card without looking is a random selection.

🎉 得分： /4

视觉学习工具

A Caso vs. Per Caso

A Caso (Randomly)
Scegliere You make the choice
Per Caso (By Chance)
Incontrare It happens to you

常见问题

10 个问题

Not usually, but telling someone 'parli a caso' (you're talking at random) can be seen as dismissive or rude.

Younger Italians do, but 'a caso' is more traditional and understood by everyone.

'Casualmente' is more formal and can cover both 'randomly' and 'by chance'.

No, it is an adverbial phrase and remains invariable.

Yes, it means 'a random person' (e.g., chosen for a survey).

Use 'in modo casuale' or 'arbitrariamente'.

It's informal and slightly derogatory, but not exactly slang.

Prepositions in idioms are fixed. 'A' is the standard preposition for this expression.

Not really. For time, we use 'a un'ora qualunque' or 'improvvisamente'.

Yes, it's very common in Italian pop and indie music to describe feelings or events.

相关表达

🔗

per caso

similar

by chance / by accident

🔗

a casaccio

specialized form

messily / poorly

🔄

casualmente

synonym

randomly / coincidentally

🔗

alla rinfusa

similar

in a jumble

🔄

senza criterio

synonym

without criteria

在哪里用

🎬

Choosing a movie

Giulia: Che film guardiamo?

Luca: Non lo so, scegliamo uno a caso!

informal
👕

At a clothing store

Commesso: Quale taglia desidera provare?

Cliente: Prendo una maglia a caso, è solo per vedere il colore.

neutral
📝

Taking a test

Studente 1: Sapevi le risposte?

Studente 2: No, ho risposto a caso a tutto!

neutral
🍕

Ordering food

Amico: Cosa prendi dal menù?

Io: Chiudo gli occhi e punto il dito. Quello che esce, esce. Scelgo a caso.

informal
🗣️

Talking to a stranger

Persona A: Perché hai detto quella cosa?

Persona B: Scusa, parlavo a caso, non pensavo.

informal
🎧

Using Spotify

Sofia: Ti piace questa canzone?

Matteo: Sì, è uscita a caso dalla mia playlist.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'CASE' of random items. You reach in and pull one out 'a caso'.

Visual Association

Imagine a person blindfolded in front of a giant wall of colorful post-it notes, reaching out to grab just one. That is 'a caso'.

Rhyme

Se non hai un piano, vai a caso e vai lontano (If you don't have a plan, go at random and go far).

Story

Marco was at a gelateria. There were 50 flavors. He couldn't decide, so he closed his eyes, pointed his finger, and picked 'a caso'. He ended up with onion-flavored gelato. Now he always has a plan!

Word Web

casocasualecasualmenteaccaderesceltafortunadestinocaos

挑战

Today, whenever you have to make a small choice (like which sock to put on first), say out loud: 'Lo faccio a caso!'

In Other Languages

Spanish high

al azar

Spanish 'al azar' is slightly more formal than the Italian 'a caso'.

French high

au hasard

French 'au hasard' can also mean 'by chance', whereas Italian splits these into 'a caso' and 'per caso'.

German moderate

aufs Geratewohl

German often prefers 'zufällig' (accidentally/randomly) for both meanings.

Japanese partial

ランダムに (randamu ni)

Japanese has specific levels of politeness that Italian 'a caso' ignores.

Arabic moderate

عشوائياً (ashwa'iyan)

The Arabic term is more formal and often used in statistical contexts.

Chinese partial

随机 (suíjī)

Chinese 'suíjī' sounds more technical than the very conversational 'a caso'.

Korean low

무작위로 (mu-jag-wi-ro)

It is much more formal than the Italian 'a caso'.

Portuguese high

ao acaso

Portuguese usually includes the article 'o' (ao acaso).

Easily Confused

a caso 对比 per caso

Both involve the word 'caso' and relate to randomness.

If you *chose* it, use 'a caso'. If it *happened* to you, use 'per caso'.

a caso 对比 in caso

Sounds similar but means 'in case'.

'In caso' is followed by a condition (e.g., 'in caso di pioggia').

常见问题 (10)

Not usually, but telling someone 'parli a caso' (you're talking at random) can be seen as dismissive or rude.

Younger Italians do, but 'a caso' is more traditional and understood by everyone.

'Casualmente' is more formal and can cover both 'randomly' and 'by chance'.

No, it is an adverbial phrase and remains invariable.

Yes, it means 'a random person' (e.g., chosen for a survey).

Use 'in modo casuale' or 'arbitrariamente'.

It's informal and slightly derogatory, but not exactly slang.

Prepositions in idioms are fixed. 'A' is the standard preposition for this expression.

Not really. For time, we use 'a un'ora qualunque' or 'improvvisamente'.

Yes, it's very common in Italian pop and indie music to describe feelings or events.

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