Italian Phrase
Mi piace fare volontariato.
Meaning
Literally, ‘It pleases me to do volunteering.’ In everyday English it means ‘I like to volunteer.’ The phrase conveys a personal interest in helping others through organized activities.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to talk about your hobbies, especially in contexts like a job interview, a language‑exchange conversation, or when describing how you spend your free time. It works both in casual chats and slightly more formal settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mipiacefarevolontariato
Mi (indirect object pronoun)
‘Mi’ is the first‑person singular indirect object pronoun, used with verbs like ‘piacere’ to indicate who experiences the feeling.
Piace (verb ‘piacere’)
‘Piace’ is the third‑person singular form of ‘piacere’; it agrees with the infinitive ‘fare’, which is the grammatical subject of the verb.
Fare (infinitive)
The infinitive ‘fare’ functions as the subject of ‘piace’; Italian treats infinitives as nouns, so the verb must be singular.
Volontariato (noun)
‘Volontariato’ means ‘volunteering’; it can be used alone or with a qualifier such as ‘attività di volontariato’.
🗨In Conversation
Cosa ti piace fare nel tempo libero?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Mi piace fare volontariato.
I like to volunteer.
✕Common Mistakes
Mi piacciono fare volontariato.
‘Piacciono’ is plural and must agree with a plural noun, not an infinitive. The correct form is ‘piace’.
Mi piace il volontariato.
This sentence is grammatically correct but changes the meaning: it says you like the concept of volunteering, not the act of doing it.
Mi piace fare volontariati.
‘Volontariati’ is not used in Italian; the noun stays singular ‘volontariato’.
↔Alternatives
Adoro fare volontariato.
I love to volunteer.
Mi piace fare attività di volontariato.
I like to do volunteering activities.
Mi fa piacere fare volontariato.
It pleases me to volunteer.
Cultural Tip
Volunteering (volontariato) is a respected way to give back to the community in Italy. Many universities, NGOs, and local municipalities organize regular projects, especially in the south. While the phrase is informal, it’s perfectly acceptable in both casual conversation and in a résumé or cover letter to highlight civic engagement.