Italian Phrase
Conciliare lavoro e vita privata.
Meaning
To balance or reconcile one's professional responsibilities with personal or family life. It conveys the idea of achieving a healthy work‑life equilibrium.
When to use
Use this expression when discussing time‑management strategies, career advice, HR policies, or personal reflections on how to keep work from overwhelming your private life.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Conciliarelavoroevitaprivata
Conciliare (infinitive)
Verb meaning 'to reconcile' or 'to balance'; used in infinitive form to talk about the act of balancing two aspects.
Lavoro (noun, m.)
Means 'work' or 'job'; masculine singular, often paired with articles or adjectives.
Vita privata (noun phrase)
Literally 'private life'; 'vita' is feminine singular, 'privata' agrees in gender and number.
Coordinating conjunction 'e'
Connects two nouns or noun phrases, equivalent to English 'and'.
🗨In Conversation
Come fai a conciliare lavoro e vita privata?
How do you manage to balance work and private life?
Cerco di stabilire dei limiti chiari e di pianificare le mie giornate.
I try to set clear boundaries and plan my days.
✕Common Mistakes
Conciliare con lavoro e vita privata è difficile.
The verb 'conciliare' already includes the idea of 'with'; adding 'con' creates redundancy.
Conciliare il lavoro e la vita privata è importante.
While not grammatically wrong, the article is unnecessary when speaking in general terms.
Devo conciliarmi lavoro e vita privata.
The reflexive form 'conciliarsi' is not used with two objects; use the non‑reflexive 'conciliare'.
↔Alternatives
Equilibrare lavoro e vita privata.
To balance work and private life.
Gestire lavoro e vita privata.
To manage work and private life.
Trovare un equilibrio tra lavoro e vita privata.
To find a balance between work and private life.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, the concept of 'equilibrio vita‑lavoro' has gained prominence, especially among younger professionals. While traditional Italian work culture often involved long hours, modern companies are increasingly offering flexible schedules, remote‑work options, and wellness programs to support employees in conciliare lavoro e vita privata.