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Italian Phrase

Le quesadillas si fanno in un attimo.

/le kwe.zaˈdi.las si ˈfan.no in un atˈti.mo/
Meaning"Quesadillas are made in an instant."
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Meaning

The sentence tells the listener that quesadillas can be prepared extremely quickly—essentially in the time it takes to blink. It emphasizes the ease and speed of the recipe.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you want to recommend a fast snack, describe a quick‑cook recipe, or reassure someone that a meal won’t take long to prepare.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Lequesadillassifannoinunattimo

1

Definite article (Le)

‘Le’ is the feminine plural definite article, used here because ‘quesadillas’ is a feminine plural noun borrowed from Spanish.

2

Passive reflexive (si)

‘si’ turns the verb into a passive/impersonal construction, equivalent to ‘are made’ in English.

3

Verb agreement (fanno)

‘fanno’ is the 3rd‑person plural present of ‘fare’; it must agree with the plural subject ‘quesadillas’.

4

Time expression (in un attimo)

‘in un attimo’ literally means ‘in a moment’; it is a common way to say something is done very quickly.

🗨In Conversation

A

Cosa posso preparare per una cena veloce?

What can I make for a quick dinner?

Le quesadillas si fanno in un attimo.

Quesadillas are made in an instant.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Le quesadillas si fa in un attimo.

    ‘fa’ is singular; the subject ‘quesadillas’ is plural, so you need ‘fanno’.

  • Le quesadillas si fanno in attimo.

    Dropping the article changes the idiom; you need ‘in un attimo’, not just ‘in attimo’.

  • Le quesadillas fanno in un attimo.

    Omitting ‘si’ turns the sentence into an active voice (‘Le quesadillas fanno…’) which is ungrammatical.

↔Alternatives

  • Le quesadillas si preparano in un attimo.

    Quesadillas are prepared in a moment.

  • Le quesadillas si cuociono in pochissimo tempo.

    Quesadillas cook in a very short time.

  • Le quesadillas sono pronte in un attimo.

    Quesadillas are ready in an instant.

it

Cultural Tip

Quesadillas are a Mexican street‑food staple that have become popular in Italian fast‑food menus, especially in university canteens. Italians often use the reflexive ‘si + verb’ to create a passive sense, just like in this sentence. Remember that ‘quesadilla’ stays feminine in Italian, so the article and adjectives must agree in gender and number.