• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Daily Italian Words

Italian words and phrases for everyday use!

  • Start here!
  • Italian Words & Phrases
  • Blog
    • Comparisons
    • Improve your Italian with Films
    • Web Stories
  • Subscribe!
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy

Italian Phrase: Non ci posso credere! (I can’t believe it!)

November 29, 2020 By Heather Broster Go to Comments

Italian Phrase: Non ci posso credere! (I can’t believe it!)

This week’s phrase is bound to come in handy if you see or hear about something that defies belief.

Non ci posso credere!

I can’t believe it!


It is made up of the following components:

  • Non >> A very common adverb of negation. In this particular phrase, it translates as not in English.
  • Ci >> A common pronoun and adverb with various meanings. In this case, it is another way of saying a ciò (literally: to that) or a questo / quello (literally: to this / that).

    Non ci posso credere. = Non posso credere a ciò / a questo / a quello.
    Literally: I can’t believe (to) this / that.
  • Posso >> The first person singular present conjugation of potere (can, to be able). In English, it translates as I can.
  • Credere >> The infinitive verb to believe in Italian. It is usually followed by the prepositions a (to) or in (in).

    credere a qualcuno / qualcosa = to believe somebody / something
    credere in qualcuno / qualcosa = to believe in somebody / something
Young startuppers reading shocking news on laptop screen
Abbiamo vinto! Non ci posso credere! – We won! I can’t believe it!

Note that it is possible to move ci from its position between non and posso to the end of credere without changing the meaning of the sentence. This is because direct objects can be attached to the end of infinitives in Italian:

Non posso crederci!

I can’t believe it!


Another variation on this phrase removes the verb potere from the equation altogether. The only difference is that credere has to be conjugated into its first person singular present form credo (I believe).

Non ci credo!

I don’t believe it!


I'm so excited and shocked!
Non posso crederci. Mi ha chiesto di sposarlo finalmente! – I can’t believe it. He finally asked me to marry him!

Filed Under: Italian Phrase of the Week Tagged With: believe, credere, i can't believe it, non ci posso credere, to believe

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Iscriviti alla nostra newsletter! (Subscribe to our newsletter!)

Do you want to receive an Italian word a day directly into your mailbox? All you have to do is to go to the subscription form and enter your email address. Your personal data won’t be recorded until the form has been submitted successfully. Thank you!

SUBSCRIBE!

Seguici su (Follow us on):

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

join the daily italian words group on facebook

Search for a word or phrase!

Database of Italian Words and Phrases

Footer

Seguici su (follow us on):

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Cerca sul sito / Search the website

Our blog

We love languages and we’d love to help you learn Italian! Find out more about us.

Copyright © 2019-2021 Mathieu Gasquet / Heather Broster