Italian Phrase
Adesso sto imparando a lavorare a maglia.
Meaning
‘Now I’m learning to knit.’ The sentence uses the present progressive to highlight a skill you have just started to acquire. It conveys enthusiasm and a sense of ongoing practice.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to tell a friend, teacher, or anyone else that you have recently taken up knitting, especially in a casual conversation about hobbies or new projects.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Adessostoimparandoalavorareamaglia
Adesso
Adverb of time meaning ‘now’, placed at the beginning for emphasis.
Sto + gerundio
The present progressive in Italian; ‘sto’ (from ‘stare’) + gerund expresses an action happening right now.
Imparare a + infinitivo
When learning a new skill, ‘imparare’ is followed by the preposition ‘a’ and the infinitive verb.
Lavorare a maglia
A set phrase meaning ‘to knit’; the preposition ‘a’ is part of the idiom.
🗨In Conversation
Adesso sto imparando a lavorare a maglia.
Now I'm learning to knit.
Che bello! Hai già fatto qualche sciarpa?
How nice! Have you already made any scarves?
✕Common Mistakes
Adesso sto imparando di lavorare a maglia.
‘Imparare’ is followed by ‘a’ + infinitive, not ‘di’.
Adesso sto imparando a lavorare la maglia.
The idiom uses the preposition ‘a’, not the article ‘la’.
Adesso sto imparare a lavorare a maglia.
The progressive form requires the gerund ‘imparando’, not the infinitive.
↔Alternatives
Ora sto imparando a lavorare a maglia.
Now I'm learning to knit.
Sto iniziando a imparare il lavoro a maglia.
I'm starting to learn knitting.
Adesso sto imparando a fare la maglia.
Now I'm learning to knit.
Cultural Tip
Knitting (lavorare a maglia) has a long tradition in many Italian regions, especially in the Alps and in the countryside where handmade sweaters are prized. In Italy, a ‘maglia’ can also refer to a sweater, so the phrase can be used both for the craft and for the finished garment. When talking about knitting, Italians often mention the type of yarn (filato) and the pattern (modello).