metterci / volerci
Advanced Idiomatic 'Ci' (Metterci, Volerci in Idioms)
In Italian, expressing how long something takes or what is required involves the particle ci. Use metterci for personal investment of time/effort and volerci for objective requirements.
How It Works
At an advanced level, the particle ci combines with verbs and other pronouns to create specific idiomatic meanings:
1. Metterci, Volerci, and Volercene
• Metterci: Focuses on the agent's personal investment of time or resources. It conjugates fully (ci metto, ci metti...) and uses avere in compound tenses.
• Volerci: Focuses on objective necessity. The thing required is the grammatical subject (ci vuole un'ora / ci vogliono due ore). It uses essere in compound tenses.
• Volercene: Adds the particle ne to emphasize that a great deal of effort, time, or courage is needed (e.g., Ce ne vuole di coraggio! - It takes a lot of courage!). Note that it is restricted to the third-person singular and plural (ce ne vuole, ce ne vogliono).
2. Verbs with -cela (Farcela, Mettercela tutta, Avercela)
Crucial Rule: In compound tenses, the past participle must agree with the pronoun la, meaning it will always end in -a (e.g., ce l'ho fatta).
• Farcela (ci + la + fare): Means 'to make it' or 'to succeed'. Example: Ce l'ho fatta!
• Mettercela tutta: Means 'to give one's all'. The la refers to one's total effort.
• Avercela: Means 'to be angry with someone' (usually followed by con). Note the contrast with its literal meaning 'to have it' (e.g., Hai la chiave? Sì, ce l'ho.). The idiomatic meaning requires the context of being upset with someone (e.g., Ce l'hai con me? - Are you angry with me?).
3. C'entrare (ci + entrare)
Means 'to have to do with' or 'to be involved in'. Note on orthography: c'entrare (to be relevant) is spelled with an apostrophe, which distinguishes it from centrare (to hit a target or center something).
4. Starci (ci + stare)
Means 'to be up for it', 'to fit', or 'to agree to participate'.
5. Other Advanced Idioms
• Sentirci / Vederci: Refers to the physical ability to hear or see (e.g., Senza occhiali non ci vedo - I can't see without glasses).
• Saperci fare: To be skilled, capable, or have a knack for something.
• Prenderci: To guess correctly or hit the mark figuratively (e.g., Ci hai preso! - You guessed it!).
• Tenerci: To care about something or consider it important (e.g., Ci tengo molto alla nostra amicizia).
• Pensarci: Idiomatically means 'to take care of something' (e.g., Non ti preoccupare, ci penso io - Don't worry, I'll take care of it). This contrasts with its standard literal meaning 'to think about it'.
• Rimanerci (male): To be disappointed or offended (e.g., Ci sono rimasto male quando non mi ha invitato).
• Cascarci: To fall for a trick or joke (e.g., Era uno scherzo, ma ci sei cascato!).
• Provarci: To try to do something, or colloquially, to hit on someone (e.g., Ci provo, ma è difficile).
• Arrivarci: To understand or grasp something (e.g., È una cosa semplice, ma non ci arriva - It's simple, but he doesn't get it).
• Rimetterci: To lose out, usually financially or in terms of advantage (e.g., In quell'affare ci ho rimesso un sacco di soldi - I lost a lot of money in that deal).
Examples (6)
- Nonostante le difficoltà, alla fine <grammar expression="verbo farcela">ce l'abbiamo fatta</grammar>.
Despite the difficulties, in the end we made it.
Word by Word: Despite the difficulties, at the end there it [we] have made.
'Farcela' (ci + la + fare) is a common idiomatic verb meaning to succeed or manage to do something.
- Non <grammar expression="particella pronominale ci con significato idiomatico avanzato">avercela</grammar> con me, non è stata colpa mia.
Don't be angry with me, it wasn't my fault.
Word by Word: Not to have there it with me, not [it] is been fault mine.
'Avercela' (ci + la + avere) means to be angry or hold a grudge against someone.
- Io non <grammar expression="particella pronominale ci con significato idiomatico avanzato">c'entro</grammar> nulla con questa storia, non sapevo niente.
I have nothing to do with this story, I didn't know anything.
Word by Word: I not there enter nothing with this story, not [I] knew nothing.
'C'entrare' means 'to have to do with' or 'to be relevant to'. It is often used to deny involvement.
- Per finire questo progetto <grammar expression="verbo volerci per il tempo">ci sono volute</grammar> molta pazienza e dedizione.
It took a lot of patience and dedication to finish this project.
Word by Word: For to finish this project there are wanted much patience and dedication.
In 'volerci', the verb agrees with the grammatical subject (the things required). Here, 'pazienza e dedizione' are plural, so we use 'sono volute'.
- Marco è bravissimo: <grammar expression="particella pronominale ci con significato idiomatico avanzato">ci mette</grammar> solo dieci minuti a risolvere il cubo di Rubik.
Marco is very good: he only takes ten minutes to solve the Rubik's cube.
Word by Word: Marco is very good: there [he] puts only ten minutes to solve the cube of Rubik.
'Metterci' focuses on the subject's personal investment of time, regardless of whether the duration is long or short.
- Per vincere la partita, la squadra <grammar expression="particella pronominale ci con significato idiomatico avanzato">ce l'ha messa tutta</grammar>.
To win the match, the team gave it their all.
Word by Word: For to win the match, the team there it has put all.
'Mettercela tutta' is an idiomatic extension of 'metterci' meaning to try one's absolute hardest or give maximum effort.
Common Mistakes
Using 'prendere' to express time duration.
Il viaggio prende due ore.Il viaggio ci mette due ore. / Ci vogliono due ore per il viaggio.English speakers often copy 'it takes' as 'prende'. This is heard, but careful Italian prefers 'metterci' (for the person or thing doing it) or 'volerci' (for the time needed).
Using a personal subject with 'volerci'.
Io ci voglio un'ora per arrivare.Io ci metto un'ora per arrivare.'Volerci' is impersonal. You cannot say 'Io ci voglio'. If you want to specify the person with 'volerci', you must use an indirect pronoun: 'Mi ci vuole un'ora'.
Using 'avere' as the auxiliary for 'volerci'.
Ci ha voluto molto tempo.Ci è voluto molto tempo.'Volerci' always takes 'essere' in compound tenses, whereas 'metterci' takes 'avere'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn advanced idiomatic uses of 'ci', learners must first understand its basic locative function and its role in common expressions like 'volerci' (to take time). This pattern specifically focuses on the distinction between impersonal time requirements ('volerci') and the personal investment of time or effort ('metterci'), as well as other fixed idiomatic phrases.
- volerci'Volerci' for Time Needed
This pattern builds directly upon the basic use of 'volerci' for time, contrasting it with the subject-oriented 'metterci'.
Level 2 - ci (con verbi)Idiomatic 'Ci' with Verbs (Crederci, Pensarci, Riuscirci)
Familiarity with how 'ci' attaches to specific verbs to change their meaning is a necessary step toward learning advanced idiomatic expressions.
Level 4
Related Patterns
- ci (locativo)Locative 'Ci'
The particle 'ci' in these idioms originated from the locative 'ci' (there), though its meaning has shifted.
Level 2 - Pronominal Verbs (farcela, sbrigarsela, cavarsela)
Metterci and volerci belong to the category of pronominal verbs where particles change the base verb's meaning.
Level 4 - Combined Object Pronouns (Full System)
Explains why 'ci' becomes 'ce' in the expression 'mettercela tutta' when followed by another pronoun.
Level 3 - Past Participle Agreement with 'essere'
Crucial for correctly conjugating 'volerci' in the past (e.g., 'ci sono volut-e le ore').
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice metterci / volerci in Bubblegum
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