# What does the Italian word arrangiarsi mean? Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-arrangiarsi-means/ Section: Zestasy Wiki > Mindset · Updated: 2026-10-13 · Publisher: Zestasy *Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.* *Arrangiarsi* is the reflexive form of *arrangiare*, and the Treccani dictionary gives its main sense as getting by in a difficulty with makeshift means, plus a second sense of coming to an agreement. In everyday Italian it means making do, improvising and sorting things out with what is to hand. At its best it describes a cheerful resourcefulness; at its worst, looking after yourself a little too cleverly. Ask an Italian how they managed to cook dinner for eight with one pan, a borrowed table and a fridge containing three eggs and a lemon, and the answer may well be a shrug and "*Mi sono arrangiato*." I got by. I sorted it out. Don't ask how. It is one of those words that says a lot about the people who use it. ## What the dictionary says The Treccani vocabulary gives [*arrangiare* several meanings](https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/arrangiare/): to patch something up as best you can, to put something together somehow (its example is throwing together a little dinner for everyone), and, in music, to arrange a piece. The reflexive *arrangiarsi* has two senses. One is to reach an agreement with someone, to come to terms. The other, and the one people usually mean, is to get by in a difficulty using makeshift means. Treccani's example is a familiar Italian phrase, the idea that in life you have to manage for yourself. It also notes two sharper uses: the imperative *arràngiati!*, said to someone asking for help, roughly "sort it out yourself", and an extended sense of looking out for yourself, sometimes not entirely honestly. So the word has a sunny side and a shady side, and Italians use both. ## The good side: resourcefulness The version we like is everyday ingenuity. It is the person who: - turns a half-empty fridge into a decent pasta, - fixes the wobbly table with a folded beer mat and carries on, - finds a lift to the beach when the bus doesn't come, - hosts a dinner in a tiny flat by putting the plank across two chairs, - speaks five words of a language and still gets directions, a recommendation and a free coffee. There is a quiet confidence in this. Not the confidence of having everything, but of knowing you will manage with what there is. It is closely related to the cooking instinct behind our guide to [what to cook when the fridge is empty](https://zestasy.com/food/what-to-cook-when-the-fridge-is-empty/): look at what you have, not at what you lack. ## The shady side Context matters. "*Si arrangia*" about a colleague can mean they're resourceful, or it can mean they always seem to find a way round the rules. And "*Arràngiati!*" is not a kind thing to say to a friend asking for help. It's worth knowing the tone before using it. ## Arrangiarsi as an everyday mindset Without the shady side, the idea is a useful one to borrow: - **Start with what's here.** Before buying, booking or waiting for perfect conditions, look at what you already have. - **Accept the makeshift version.** The picnic on a towel instead of a table is still a picnic. - **Trust that you'll work it out.** Many problems shrink once you start improvising instead of worrying. - **Keep it light.** The spirit of *arrangiarsi* is a shrug and a grin, not grim endurance. It sits nicely next to other Italian ideas we've written about, like [*sprezzatura*](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-sprezzatura-means/), the art of making effort look easy. *Arrangiarsi* is often the effort that *sprezzatura* hides. ## FAQ ### How do you use arrangiarsi in a sentence? "*Non avevamo il cavatappi, ma ci siamo arrangiati*" means "we didn't have a corkscrew, but we managed." It works for any small triumph of improvisation. ### Is it a compliment to say someone "si arrangia"? Often, yes, meaning they're resourceful and never helpless. But depending on tone, it can hint that they cut corners. Listen to how it's said. ### Is there an English equivalent? "Make do", "get by" and "muddle through" cover parts of it. None quite captures the mix of ingenuity, pragmatism and slight mischief. ### What does "arràngiati" mean? It is the informal command form, roughly "sort it out yourself". Between friends it can be a joke; said seriously, it is a brush-off. ## Sources - [Treccani, Vocabolario: arrangiare](https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/arrangiare/) ## Related - [What does sprezzatura mean?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-sprezzatura-means/) - [What does dolce far niente really mean?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/dolce-far-niente/) - [What can you cook when the fridge is nearly empty?](https://zestasy.com/food/what-to-cook-when-the-fridge-is-empty/) - [What everyday skills make you feel more self-sufficient?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/everyday-self-sufficiency/) - [How do you cook without a recipe?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/cooking-without-a-recipe/) - [All Mindset answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#mindset)