Formarla

Formarla is the Italian pronominal infinitive formed by the verb formare (to form, to shape) with the feminine direct object pronoun la attached. It is not a separate lexical item, but a grammatical construction used to indicate the action of forming or shaping something feminine, either literally or figuratively. The combination is common in everyday Italian and can refer to shaping a person, a character, or a feminine noun previously mentioned in discourse.

Usage and examples: In sentences with a conjugated auxiliary or modal verb, the pronoun typically attaches to the infinitive, producing forms such as Devo formarla (I have to train/shape her). This structure also allows the pronoun to refer to feminine nouns, for instance una ragazza or una figura. When the masculine object is intended, the corresponding formarlo is used instead of formarla. The concept can be extended metaphorically, as in formare qualcuno come cittadina o come modello di comportamento.

More complex pronoun combinations can occur when there is both an indirect and a direct object pronoun, yielding forms like gliela devo formare (I have to shape it for him/her). In such cases, the pronouns precede the infinitive and the verb remains formare, with la serving as the direct object and gli/le as appropriate indirect references.

Etymology and related terms: Formarla derives from formare plus the clitic pronoun la. Related concepts include the bare infinitive formare (to form) and other pronominal infinitives with lo, la, li, le, or combinations like gliela, depending on gender, number, and person.

See also: Italian grammar, clitic pronouns, infinitives, pronoun attachment.