Learn Italian: Se la cavano bene e si integrano velocemente. - They manage well and integrate quickly.

Se la cavano bene e si integrano velocemente.

They manage well and integrate quickly.

Breakdown of Se la cavano bene e si integrano velocemente.

to get by / to manage (scrape by)

Questions & Answers about Se la cavano bene e si integrano velocemente.

How do we get se la cavano from the dictionary form cavarsela?

Cavarsela is a pronominal verb made of the verb cavare + the reflexive pronoun si + the object pronoun la. To conjugate it for "they", cavare becomes cavano. The pronoun si changes to se because it is right in front of la, and both pronouns move before the conjugated verb, giving us se la cavano.

Does the la in se la cavano refer to a specific feminine noun here?

No, in the verb cavarsela, the la is a fixed part of the expression. It acts like an unspecific "it" (similar to "winging it" or "roughing it" in English). You never change this la to lo, li, or le when using the verb to mean "getting by" or "managing".

Why is it si integrano and not just integrano?

In Italian, the verb for "to integrate" in the sense of adapting and fitting into a society or group is the reflexive verb integrarsi (literally "to integrate oneself"). Because of this, you must include the reflexive pronoun si for the "they" form.

Is there a rule for turning adjectives into adverbs like velocemente?