What does prendersela mean?
The verb prendersela means “to take something badly,” “to get upset” or “to get offended.” We use it when someone reacts emotionally to something, often more than necessary.
Prendersela is a pronominal verb: a verb with one or more pronouns attached that give it a new, idiomatic meaning. It’s made of:
- the verb prendere (to take)
- the pronoun se (me, te, se, ce, ve, se)
- the particle la
In short
- Prendersela = to get upset, to take something badly, to be offended
- Present: me la prendo, te la prendi, se la prende…
- Passato prossimo with essere and presa: me la sono presa
- Prendersela con qualcuno = to get angry at someone
- Non prendertela! = Don’t take it badly! Don’t be upset!
Prendere vs. prendersela
- Prendere: to take, to get. Prendo un caffè. (I’ll have a coffee.)
- Prendersela: to take something personally, to get upset. Se l’è presa per niente. (He got upset over nothing.)
Adding se and la completely changes the meaning.
Examples in context
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Non prendertela, stavo solo scherzando. | Don’t take it badly, I was just joking. |
| Perché te la prendi sempre per così poco? | Why do you always get upset over such little things? |
| Se l’è presa con me, ma non è colpa mia! | She got angry at me, but it’s not my fault! |
| Non se la prenda, signora. | Don’t be upset, madam. (formal) |
Prendersela con, prendersela per
Two prepositions often follow prendersela:
- prendersela con + person = to get angry at someone, to blame someone: Non prendertela con lui, non ha fatto niente. (Don’t blame him, he didn’t do anything.)
- prendersela per + thing = to get upset about something: Se la prende per ogni critica. (He gets upset at every criticism.)
Careful: prendersela comoda
The expression prendersela comoda has a completely different meaning: “to take it easy, to take your time.” Il cameriere se la prende comoda! (The waiter is really taking his time!)
Conjugation of prendersela
Conjugate prendere as usual, then put the pronouns me, te, se, ce, ve, se + la before the verb. La never changes.
| Person | Present | Passato prossimo |
|---|---|---|
| io | me la prendo | me la sono presa |
| tu | te la prendi | te la sei presa |
| lui/lei | se la prende | se l’è presa |
| noi | ce la prendiamo | ce la siamo presa |
| voi | ve la prendete | ve la siete presa |
| loro | se la prendono | se la sono presa |
Note: in compound tenses prendersela takes essere, and the past participle agrees with la, not with the subject. That’s why it’s always presa, even for a man: Marco se l’è presa.
The imperative: non prendertela!
This is the form you’ll hear most often, to calm someone down:
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Non prendertela! / Non te la prendere! | Don’t take it badly! (tu) |
| Non prendetevela! / Non ve la prendete! | Don’t take it badly! (voi) |
| Non se la prenda! | Don’t take it badly! (formal Lei) |
Teacher’s tip: how to learn pronominal verbs
The best way to learn pronominal verbs like prendersela is not memorizing long grammar lists, but noticing how Italians actually use them. Listen to native speakers, repeat what you hear and pay attention to the context. Pronominal verbs are very idiomatic, so they “click” when you see and hear them in action: in conversations, movies, podcasts or books.
Exercise: complete with prendersela
Complete the sentences with the correct form of prendersela.
- Dai, non ______ (tu, imperative), era solo una battuta!
- Ieri Giulia ______ con me perché sono arrivato tardi. (passato prossimo)
- Io ______ sempre quando qualcuno critica il mio lavoro. (present)
- Ragazzi, perché ______ così? Non è successo niente! (present)
- Signor Rossi, non ______! Rimediamo subito. (formal imperative)
- I miei genitori ______ quando non li ho chiamati per il loro anniversario. (passato prossimo)
Show the answers
- prendertela / te la prendere
- se l’è presa
- me la prendo
- ve la prendete
- se la prenda
- se la sono presa
Frequently asked questions
What does prendersela mean in Italian?
Prendersela means to take something badly, to get upset or to be offended. For example: Non prendertela, stavo scherzando (Don’t take it badly, I was joking).
What is the passato prossimo of prendersela?
It takes essere and the participle is always presa, because it agrees with la: me la sono presa, te la sei presa, se l’è presa, ce la siamo presa, ve la siete presa, se la sono presa.
What does prendersela comoda mean?
Prendersela comoda means to take it easy or to take your time, which is very different from prendersela alone.
My characters se la prendono for the silliest reasons, and then make up. Reading pronominal verbs in a story is the easiest way to remember them. Here are three to try:
Gioielli, Caffè e Firenze
Level B1+
Marie moves to Florence, where jewelry making leads to a new life.
7 Romance Short Stories in Italian
Level B1/B2
Seven stories about love and everyday life, full of natural conversations.
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