English Translation
I know how to do it.
I wonder which is more common, farla or farlo, which is used in a parallel translation.
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An interesting point. I suppose it depends on how many m or f items are mentioned, pe “La grammatica? Devo farla!”
As discussed in the other example, I always go for the masc.
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I’m actually thinking of the case where one doesn’t really care about what “it” is, like skiing or mending a fence.
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These things are never really representative of course, but a quick search comparison suggests “farlo” is more commonly used in all regions in Italy indeed. And indeed, from the search examples, it seems “farlo” is used where one doesn’t really care about what “it” is, as you said, and the “farla” searches do seem to be used to specifically refer to a feminine person/object.
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I always find these gender related problems tricky, mainly because my Italian is essentially book-learning rather than immersion. If you are speaking the language regularly, I suspect that it just becomes second nature.
Is there ever an “it” where it doesn’t refer to something in particular that will have a gender? (Lo sci, le riparazioni etc)
My guess (and it is a guess) is that native speakers just innately “know” which to use.
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The gendered languages that I know seem to default to the neuter, and in its absence, the masculine. I was just wondering if Italian was a bit different in this respect, maybe referring to la cosa.
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@David755502 I think you’re right about “innately” knowing, tho I can say that after spending two/three weeks thinking and speaking nothing but Italian, one gets into the rhythm and without realising, the genders become a habit. It was ages before I realised that most words ending in “ione” are feminine; it was a “beautiful moment” ;-D
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