fare la preziosa
to play hard to get
Advanced Phrase
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Pronunciation
/ˈfa.re la pre.ˈtsjo.za/
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Cultural Note
Fare la preziosa (literally 'to act precious') is deeply woven into Italian dating dynamics. There's a cultural expectation, especially among older generations, that romantic interest shouldn't be revealed too easily. This cat-and-mouse game is considered part of the fun of corteggiamento. The masculine version 'fare il prezioso' exists but is used less frequently.
📝 Example Sentences
Non fare la preziosa, sai che ti piace.
Don't play hard to get, you know you like him.
Fa la preziosa perché vuole essere corteggiata.
She plays hard to get because she wants to be courted.
Anche lui fa il prezioso ultimamente.
He's been playing hard to get lately too.