Italian Phrase
Volevo fare carriera.
Meaning
‘I wanted to make a career.’ The speaker is referring to a past ambition to advance professionally, often implying that the plan changed or was not fulfilled.
When to use
Use this sentence when reflecting on past career goals, explaining why you chose a different path, or discussing a missed professional opportunity.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Volevofarecarriera
Volevo (imperfetto di volere)
‘Volevo’ is the imperfect form of ‘volere’ and expresses a desire or intention that existed in the past.
fare (infinitivo)
The infinitive ‘fare’ means ‘to do / to make’ and is used here as part of the idiomatic expression ‘fare carriera’.
carriera (sostantivo)
‘Carriera’ means ‘career’ or ‘professional path’; in the phrase it is used without an article, which is the normal idiomatic pattern.
fare carriera (espressione idiomatica)
Literally ‘to make a career’, it actually means ‘to advance professionally’ or ‘to have a successful career’.
🗨In Conversation
Volevo fare carriera, ma ho deciso di viaggiare per il mondo.
I wanted to make a career, but I decided to travel the world.
Capisco, a volte la vita ci porta su strade diverse.
I understand, sometimes life takes us on different roads.
✕Common Mistakes
Volevo fare una carriera.
The idiom ‘fare carriera’ does not take an article; adding ‘una’ makes the sentence sound unidiomatic.
Volevo fare carriera.
If you want to express a present desire, use ‘voglio fare carriera’. ‘Volevo’ is past tense.
Volevo fare la carriera.
The noun needs the article-less form; however, some learners mistakenly add a definite article ‘la’ (e.g., ‘volevo fare la carriera’), which is incorrect.
↔Alternatives
Desideravo progredire nella mia professione.
I desired to progress in my profession.
Avevo l’ambizione di fare carriera.
I had the ambition to make a career.
Mi sarebbe piaciuto avere una carriera di successo.
I would have liked to have a successful career.
Cultural Tip
In Italian, ‘fare carriera’ is the standard way to talk about climbing the professional ladder; you never say *‘una carriera’* in this expression. The phrase is neutral and works in both formal and informal contexts, but be careful not to add an article before ‘carriera’, as it sounds unnatural.