Il cantante è diventato rauco a furia di fare concerti.

Questions & Answers about Il cantante è diventato rauco a furia di fare concerti.

What exactly does a furia di mean, and is it interchangeable with a forza di?
Yes, they are completely interchangeable. Both translate roughly to "by dint of," "by sheer force of," or "from [doing something] so much." They are used to express that a continuous or repeated action (doing concerts) inevitably led to a specific result (getting hoarse).
Why is the infinitive fare used here instead of the gerund facendo for "doing"?
In English, we say "from doing." However, in Italian, prepositions (like the di at the end of a furia di) must be followed by the infinitive form of a verb, never the gerund.
Why do we use diventato for "got" here?
When English uses "to get" plus an adjective to describe a change in state (getting sick, getting hoarse, getting dark), Italian typically uses diventare (to become). Because diventare expresses a change of state, it requires essere as its helping verb, which gives us è diventato.
Does a furia di fare carry a different nuance than just saying perché ha fatto (because he did)?
Yes. While perché ha fatto concerti just states a neutral cause, a furia di emphasizes the heavy repetition or intensity of the action. It highlights that the sheer volume of concerts is what caused him to lose his voice.

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