Italian Phrase
Mi piace un sacco fare gli squat.
Meaning
This sentence means 'I really like doing squats.' The speaker is expressing a strong personal preference for the exercise, using the informal intensifier 'un sacco' to stress how much they enjoy it.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation with friends, at the gym, or on social media when you want to talk about your workout preferences. It’s too informal for a formal report or academic writing.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mipiaceunsaccofareglisquat
Piacere with indirect object
The verb 'piacere' is used impersonally; the thing that pleases is the subject, and the person who likes it is expressed with an indirect object pronoun (mi, ti, gli, le, ci, vi, gli).
Un sacco (colloquial intensifier)
'Un sacco' literally means 'a sack', but colloquially it intensifies an adjective or verb, similar to 'a lot' or 'so much' in English.
Infinitive after piacere
When something pleases someone, the liked activity is expressed with an infinitive verb (fare, mangiare, correre, etc.).
Gli before masculine plural nouns
The article 'gli' is used before masculine plural nouns that start with a consonant cluster like 's' + consonant (e.g., gli squat, gli sport).
🗨In Conversation
Che allenamento fai di solito?
What workout do you usually do?
Mi piace un sacco fare gli squat.
I really like doing squats.
✕Common Mistakes
Mi piacciono un sacco fare gli squat.
With 'piacere' the verb agrees with the thing that pleases, not with the person. The correct form is 'Mi piace' because the infinitive 'fare gli squat' is singular.
Mi piace un sacco di fare gli squat.
When 'un sacco' is used as an intensifier, you do NOT add 'di'. Adding 'di' changes the meaning to 'a sack of'.
Mi piace un sacco fare gli squats.
The borrowed noun stays singular in form but takes the plural article 'gli'. Adding an extra 's' is unnecessary.
↔Alternatives
Mi piace tantissimo fare gli squat.
I love doing squats a lot.
Adoro fare gli squat.
I adore doing squats.
Mi piace molto fare gli squat.
I like doing squats a lot.
Cultural Tip
The expression 'un sacco' is typical of informal spoken Italian and is rarely used in formal writing. The word 'squat' is an English borrowing that has become standard in Italian gyms; you’ll hear it more often among younger speakers and fitness enthusiasts.