The basic meaning of mettere is to put, to place. But Italian extends mettere into several broader semantic domains that English doesn't cover with put alone. Italians si mettono a piangere (start crying — literally put themselves to cry), mettono al mondo a child (bring into the world), mettono su famiglia (start a family), mettono in dubbio a claim (cast doubt on), and mettono nei panni di someone (put themselves in someone's shoes). The reflexive mettersi in particular is one of the most productive verb-formers in Italian, generating new idioms by combining with prepositions and complements.
This page covers the most frequent mettere expressions: the key inceptive construction mettersi a + infinitive ("start doing"), placement idioms (mettere in ordine, mettere a posto), figurative idioms with mettere in / a / su / giù / via, life-event idioms (mettere al mondo, mettere su famiglia, mettersi insieme), the empathy phrase mettersi nei panni di, and the colloquial supposition formula metti che + congiuntivo. Together with fare, dare, and prendere, mettere completes the four light verbs that drive a third of everyday Italian.
The master table
| Expression | Literal | Meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| mettersi a + infinitive | put oneself to | start doing | neutral |
| mettere in ordine | put in order | tidy up, organize | neutral |
| mettere a posto | put in place | tidy up / fix / sort out | neutral |
| mettere d'accordo | put in agreement | get people to agree | neutral |
| mettersi d'accordo | put oneselves in agreement | come to an agreement | neutral |
| mettere al mondo | put to the world | give birth to / bring into the world | neutral-formal |
| mettere in chiaro | put in clear | make clear, set straight | neutral |
| mettere in moto | put in motion | start (a vehicle, an engine) | neutral |
| mettere su (X) | put up | start / set up (family, business, etc.) | colloquial-neutral |
| mettere giù | put down | put down / hang up (the phone) | neutral |
| mettere via | put away | put away / save (money) | neutral |
| mettere alla prova | put to the test | test, put to the test | neutral |
| mettere in dubbio | put in doubt | cast doubt on, question | neutral |
| mettere a fuoco | put in focus | focus / bring into focus | neutral |
| mettersi nei panni di | put oneself in the clothes of | put oneself in someone's shoes | neutral |
| mettersi insieme | put oneselves together | get together (start dating) | colloquial |
| mettere paura | put fear | scare, intimidate | colloquial-neutral |
| mettere su chili | put on kilos | put on weight | informal |
| mettere in piedi | put on feet | set up, get going | neutral |
| metti che + congiuntivo | put that | suppose / what if | colloquial |
Mettersi a + infinitive — the inceptive construction
The single most important mettere construction is mettersi a + infinitive, meaning to start doing, to set about doing. It is one of Italian's most productive ways of marking the beginning of an action — a competitor to cominciare a and iniziare a, with a slightly more vivid, embodied flavor.
Mi sono messo a piangere quando ho sentito la notizia.
I started crying when I heard the news.
Si è messa a ridere così forte che le lacrimavano gli occhi.
She started laughing so hard her eyes were watering.
Quando piove, i bambini si mettono a giocare in casa.
When it rains, the kids start playing inside.
Mi metto a studiare adesso, non posso più rimandare.
I'm getting down to studying now, I can't put it off any longer.
The flavor of mettersi a differs from cominciare a / iniziare a in tone: mettersi a often emphasizes a sudden or decisive transition into the action — "I dropped what I was doing and got down to crying / studying / cooking." It works especially well with emotional reactions (mettersi a piangere, mettersi a ridere, mettersi a urlare) and with deliberate decisions to engage with a task (mettersi a studiare, mettersi a lavorare, mettersi a scrivere).
Because mettersi is reflexive, it requires essere in compound tenses: mi sono messo, si è messa, ci siamo messi. The past participle agrees with the subject: Maria si è messa a piangere (feminine), Marco si è messo a piangere (masculine), i bambini si sono messi (plural). This is one of the cleanest illustrations of reflexive past-participle agreement.
Mettere in ordine vs mettere a posto — tidying up
Two near-synonyms for tidying up sit close to each other in everyday Italian. Mettere in ordine emphasizes putting things into a neat arrangement — sorting, organizing. Mettere a posto is broader: putting things back where they belong, fixing what is out of place, sorting out a problem.
Ho passato la mattina a mettere in ordine la libreria.
I spent the morning organizing the bookshelf.
Metti a posto i giocattoli prima di cena!
Put the toys away before dinner!
Devo mettere a posto un paio di cose prima di partire.
I need to sort out a few things before I leave.
The figurative use of mettere a posto extends to fixing situations: mettere a posto un problema ("sort out a problem"), mettere a posto qualcuno ("set someone straight," with a slightly threatening undertone). The phrase a posto alone is among the most useful Italian fillers — Tutto a posto? ("Everything OK?"), Sono a posto ("I'm fine / I'm set").
Mettere d'accordo vs mettersi d'accordo — making others agree vs reaching agreement
A subtle reflexive distinction worth memorizing. Mettere d'accordo qualcuno means to get someone to agree — the subject is the mediator, getting two or more parties to settle. Mettersi d'accordo is reciprocal: to come to an agreement among oneselves.
È difficile mettere d'accordo i miei genitori sulle vacanze.
It's hard to get my parents to agree about vacation plans.
Ci siamo messi d'accordo sul prezzo: cinquemila euro.
We agreed on the price: five thousand euros.
Mettiamoci d'accordo: chi paga la cena stasera?
Let's settle this: who's paying for dinner tonight?
The distinction tracks a real difference in event structure: mettere d'accordo is mediating, mettersi d'accordo is mutual settling.
Mettere al mondo — bringing into the world
Mettere al mondo is the elevated way to say to give birth to, to bring into the world. The literal put to the world gives the phrase a slight ceremonial flavor, suitable for serious or formal contexts. Casual speech often prefers avere un figlio ("have a child") or partorire ("give birth").
Ha messo al mondo tre figli prima dei trent'anni.
She brought three children into the world before the age of thirty.
Decidere di mettere al mondo un figlio è una scelta enorme.
Deciding to bring a child into the world is an enormous choice.
The expression is gender-neutral in form but is most often used with the mother as subject. Fathers can also use it figuratively, but the more common verb in casual conversation is avere.
Mettere in chiaro — setting things straight
Mettere in chiaro means to make clear, to set straight, to clarify. It carries a slight edge — used when the speaker wants to leave no ambiguity, often after a disagreement or misunderstanding.
Voglio mettere in chiaro una cosa: non sono stato io.
I want to make one thing clear: it wasn't me.
Mettiamo in chiaro le regole prima di iniziare.
Let's set the rules straight before we start.
Ha messo in chiaro che non avrebbe accettato compromessi.
He made clear that he wouldn't accept compromises.
Mettere in moto — starting an engine
Mettere in moto is the fixed expression for starting an engine, a vehicle, or — figuratively — a process. The literal put in motion preserves the original mechanical metaphor.
La macchina non si mette in moto, devo chiamare il carro attrezzi.
The car won't start, I have to call a tow truck.
Hanno messo in moto un'indagine sulla corruzione.
They've initiated an investigation into corruption.
The reflexive mettersi in moto ("to get going, to start moving") is also common, often figurative: il progetto si è finalmente messo in moto ("the project has finally gotten going").
Mettere su — starting / setting up
The phrasal mettere su ("put up") is one of the most colloquial and productive mettere idioms. It means to start, to set up, to put together something — and combines with a remarkable variety of nouns.
Hanno messo su famiglia subito dopo il matrimonio.
They started a family right after getting married.
Mio fratello vuole mettere su un'attività in proprio.
My brother wants to start his own business.
Metti su l'acqua per la pasta, per favore.
Put on the water for pasta, please.
Ha messo su un piccolo orto in giardino.
She set up a small vegetable garden in the yard.
The expression covers everything from starting a family to putting water on the stove — anything that involves getting something going. It is firmly colloquial; in formal writing you'd use fondare (for businesses) or avviare (for processes).
A frequent informal extension: mettere su chili / qualche chilo for putting on weight. Ho messo su tre chili durante le vacanze ("I gained three kilos over the holidays").
Mettere giù and mettere via — putting down and putting away
Two prepositional contrasts worth keeping straight. Mettere giù is to put down, especially of receivers, phones, and objects you're holding.
Metti giù il telefono e ascoltami.
Put down your phone and listen to me.
Ho messo giù il telefono prima di salutare — che maleducato!
I hung up before saying goodbye — how rude of me!
Mettere via is to put away — into storage, out of sight, or saved for later.
Ho messo via i vestiti invernali fino a ottobre.
I put away the winter clothes until October.
Sto mettendo via dei soldi per le vacanze.
I'm putting some money away for vacation.
The figurative mettere via for saving money is one of the most common idiomatic uses — Italians use it where English speakers say put away or set aside.
Mettere alla prova — putting to the test
Mettere alla prova translates almost word-for-word: to put to the test. It applies to people, theories, products, and patience.
Questa situazione mette alla prova la mia pazienza.
This situation is testing my patience.
Hanno messo alla prova il nuovo sistema per due mesi.
They tested the new system for two months.
The reflexive mettersi alla prova ("to put oneself to the test, to challenge oneself") is a common motivational phrasing.
Mettere in dubbio — casting doubt on
Mettere in dubbio is to cast doubt on, to question, to call into question. It is the standard idiom in journalism, debate, and academic writing.
Nessuno mette in dubbio la sua onestà, ma le sue decisioni sono discutibili.
No one questions his honesty, but his decisions are debatable.
I nuovi dati mettono in dubbio la teoria precedente.
The new data calls into question the previous theory.
Mettere a fuoco — focusing
Mettere a fuoco literally put in fire — actually a metaphor from optics: the focal point, the fuoco of a lens. The phrase means to focus, to bring into focus, both literally (a camera) and figuratively (an idea, a problem).
L'obiettivo non riesce a mettere a fuoco da vicino.
The lens can't focus at close range.
Dobbiamo mettere a fuoco il vero problema, non i sintomi.
We need to focus on the real problem, not the symptoms.
Mettersi nei panni di — putting yourself in someone's shoes
The empathy idiom mettersi nei panni di qualcuno literally put oneself in someone's clothes — meaning put yourself in someone's shoes, see things from their point of view. The metaphor differs from English (clothes rather than shoes), but the function is identical.
Mettiti nei miei panni: cosa avresti fatto?
Put yourself in my shoes: what would you have done?
Solo se ti metti nei suoi panni puoi capire perché ha reagito così.
Only if you put yourself in his shoes can you understand why he reacted that way.
This is one of the most useful conversational phrases in Italian for argument, persuasion, or empathetic conversation. It works in casual and formal registers alike.
Mettersi insieme — getting together
Mettersi insieme is the colloquial Italian for to get together in the romantic sense — to start dating, to become a couple. It is firmly informal.
Si sono messi insieme al liceo e stanno ancora insieme dopo vent'anni.
They got together in high school and are still together twenty years later.
Ti ricordi quando ci siamo messi insieme? Che giorni!
Do you remember when we got together? Those were the days!
The neutral verb fidanzarsi ("to get engaged / to start dating") is more formal; mettersi insieme is what friends say to friends.
Mettere paura — scaring
Mettere paura (a qualcuno) means to scare, to intimidate. It is colloquial — closer to gives me the creeps or scares me than to the more clinical spaventare.
Quel film mi ha messo paura, non riuscivo a dormire.
That movie scared me, I couldn't sleep.
Il cane del vicino mette paura ai bambini.
The neighbor's dog scares the kids.
Mettere in piedi — setting up
Mettere in piedi literally put on feet — meaning to set up, to organize, to get something going. The metaphor is of standing something upright. Used for projects, organizations, events.
Ha messo in piedi un'azienda da zero in tre anni.
He set up a company from scratch in three years.
Stiamo mettendo in piedi un'associazione di quartiere.
We're setting up a neighborhood association.
The closely related mettere in piedi una scena / un teatrino means to make a scene, to put on a show — a slightly negative figurative use ("don't make a scene about it").
Metti che + congiuntivo — supposing
A high-frequency colloquial construction: metti che + congiuntivo means suppose that, what if. The bare imperative metti (literally put) functions as suppose, and the dependent clause takes the subjunctive.
Metti che piova domani, cosa facciamo?
Suppose it rains tomorrow, what do we do?
Metti che lui non venga: chi prendiamo come backup?
Suppose he doesn't come: who do we get as backup?
Metti che fosse vero: cambierebbe tutto.
Suppose it were true: it would change everything.
The construction is typically with the present subjunctive (metti che piova), but conditional/hypothetical contexts use the imperfect subjunctive (metti che fosse). It is one of the cleanest, most everyday uses of the subjunctive in spoken Italian, and a good drill for the present subjunctive forms.
Common Mistakes
❌ Ho cominciato piangere quando ho sentito la notizia.
Wrong — *cominciare* requires *a* before the infinitive, and *mettersi a* is more idiomatic for sudden emotional reactions.
✅ Mi sono messo a piangere quando ho sentito la notizia.
I started crying when I heard the news.
❌ Ho messo a posto i miei genitori sulla decisione.
Wrong sense — *mettere a posto* means *tidy up / sort out / fix*, not *get to agree*. For getting people to agree, use *mettere d'accordo*.
✅ Ho messo d'accordo i miei genitori sulla decisione.
I got my parents to agree on the decision.
❌ Ho messo via il telefono e sono uscito.
Slightly off — *mettere via* implies storage; for putting down a phone in conversation, use *mettere giù*.
✅ Ho messo giù il telefono e sono uscito.
I put down my phone and went out.
❌ Metti che piove domani.
Indicative after *metti che* is sometimes heard colloquially but is prescriptively wrong — the subjunctive is required.
✅ Metti che piova domani.
Suppose it rains tomorrow.
❌ Mi metto piangere quando sono triste.
Missing *a* — the construction is *mettersi a + infinitive*, the *a* is obligatory.
✅ Mi metto a piangere quando sono triste.
I start crying when I'm sad.
❌ Si sono messi insieme di sposarsi.
Mismatched — *mettersi insieme* alone means *to get together as a couple*. To say *they decided to get married*, use *hanno deciso di sposarsi*.
✅ Si sono messi insieme un anno fa e ora stanno per sposarsi.
They got together a year ago and are about to get married.
❌ Ha messo a mondo tre figli.
Wrong preposition — *mettere al mondo*, with the contracted definite article *al*.
✅ Ha messo al mondo tre figli.
She gave birth to three children.
Key takeaways
- Mettere combines with nouns and prepositions to form one of Italian's most productive idiom families. Most encode either placement (literal or figurative) or beginning a process.
- Mettersi a + infinitive is the inceptive construction — to start doing. Use it for sudden emotional reactions (mettersi a piangere/ridere) and decisive starts (mettersi a studiare/lavorare).
- Mettere d'accordo = get others to agree; mettersi d'accordo = come to an agreement (reciprocal).
- Mettere su is hugely productive: mettere su famiglia (start a family), mettere su un'attività (start a business), mettere su chili (gain weight).
- Mettersi nei panni di ("put yourself in someone's shoes") is the empathy phrase — though the metaphor uses clothes (panni), not shoes.
- Mettersi insieme is colloquial for getting together as a couple; the formal alternative is fidanzarsi.
- Metti che + congiuntivo is one of the cleanest everyday uses of the present subjunctive: metti che piova ("suppose it rains").
- Mettere giù = put down (phone, object); mettere via = put away (storage, savings).
For the full conjugation of mettere — including the irregular passato remoto (misi, mettesti, mise), the irregular past participle messo, and the productive derivatives ammettere, commettere, permettere, promettere — see Mettere: Full Conjugation. For the parallel idiom families, see Fare Idioms, Dare Idioms, and Prendere Idioms.
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