non riuscire a farsi valere
Grammar & Usage
How it works
This idiom combines the negative verb 'non riuscire a' (to not succeed in / to be unable to) with the reflexive causative construction 'farsi valere' (literally 'to make oneself of worth'). The reflexive pronoun encliticized to 'fare' agrees with the subject (e.g., farmi, farti, farsi). In compound tenses, 'riuscire' takes the auxiliary 'essere' (e.g., 'non sono riuscito a farmi valere').
Sample sentences
È una persona molto timida e spesso non riesce a farsi valere con i colleghi.
He is a very shy person and often fails to assert himself with his colleagues.
Durante la riunione non sono riuscito a farmi valere e hanno bocciato il mio progetto.
During the meeting I was unable to stand up for myself and they rejected my project.
Se continui a essere così remissivo, non riuscirai mai a farti valere.
If you keep being so submissive, you will never manage to assert yourself.
Quick facts
Mnemonic
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Example
È una persona molto timida e spesso non riesce a farsi valere con i colleghi.
He is a very shy person and often fails to assert himself with his colleagues.
Durante la riunione non sono riuscito a farmi valere e hanno bocciato il mio progetto.
During the meeting I was unable to stand up for myself and they rejected my project.
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