dilettarsi

Dilettarsi is an Italian pronominal verb meaning to amuse oneself, to take pleasure in an activity, or to indulge in a pastime. The term is used in literary or formal contexts and conveys a sense of voluntary enjoyment rather than obligation. It is related to the noun diletto (pleasure) and to related verbs that express delight or liking.

Grammar and usage

Dilettarsi is conjugated with the auxiliary essere in compound tenses (mi sono dilettato, ti sei dilettato, si è dilettato, etc.). The verb is typically followed by a prepositional phrase that specifies the object of enjoyment, often with di, nel, or a gerund/infinitive construction. Common patterns include dilettarsi di [something] (to take pleasure in something) and dilettarsi nel [doing something] (to enjoy doing something). For example: Mi dilettavo nel dipingere paesaggi. Si diletta nel suonare il pianoforte. Recent or spoken usage may prefer synonyms like divertirsi or godersi, but dilettarsi retains a more literary tone.

Examples

- Mi dilettavo nel leggere romanzi antichi. (I used to take pleasure in reading old novels.)

- Si diletta nel disegnare ritratti. (He delights in drawing portraits.)

- Dopo il lavoro, si è dilettato nel coltivare il suo giardino. (After work, he amused himself by cultivating his garden.)

Note

Dilettarsi has a somewhat formal or archaic flavor in modern speech, with more contemporary alternatives such as divertirsi, godersi, or appassionarsi to express personal enjoyment of activities. Related terms include diletto (pleasure) and dilettante (amateur).

See also

Diletto, Dilettante, Divertirsi, Godersi.