avere un debole per
to have a soft spot for / to have a weakness for
Intermediate Phrase
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Pronunciation
/a.ˈve.re un ˈde.bo.le per/
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Cultural Note
Avere un debole per (literally 'to have a weakness for') charmingly frames attraction as a vulnerability. It's softer than 'cotta' (crush) — more of a tenderness than an obsession. Italians use it for both people and things: 'ho un debole per il cioccolato' (I have a weakness for chocolate) uses the same construction, putting romance and pleasure in the same linguistic category.
📝 Example Sentences
Ho un debole per le persone con gli occhi verdi.
I have a soft spot for people with green eyes.
Ha un debole per il suo collega.
She has a soft spot for her colleague.
Ho sempre avuto un debole per gli italiani.
I've always had a weakness for Italians.