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PhrasesAt the GymQuanti chili sollevi?
B1informal

Quanti chili sollevi?

How many kilos do you lift?

Pronunciation

Stress 'sol-LE-vi'. 'Chili' = KEE-lee — plural of 'chilo' (kilogram).

When to use it

Use this informally with other gym-goers when curious about their training load, or to calibrate your own starting weight when using a machine someone else just vacated.

What it means

'Quanti' = how many (masculine plural). 'Chili' = kilograms. 'Sollevi' = you lift (from 'sollevare', informal 'tu' form). In weight training, 'sollevare' is the standard verb. You can also say 'carichi' (loads) instead of 'chili'.

Variations

Con quanto peso stai lavorando?

What weight are you working with?

Alternative phrasing.

Quale peso mi consigli per iniziare?

What weight do you recommend I start with?

Asking for advice.

Posso togliere qualche disco?

Can I remove some weight plates?

When the bar is too heavy.

Mini Dialogue

— Quanti chili sollevi in panca piana? — Adesso circa ottanta, ma sto cercando di arrivare a cento. — Ottimo. Hai un compagno che ti assiste? — No, di solito mi alleno da solo.

— How many kilos do you bench press? — About eighty now, but I'm trying to reach a hundred. — Excellent. Do you have a spotter? — No, I usually train alone.

Cultural Note

The 'panca piana' (flat bench press) is culturally iconic in Italian gyms, much as in many Western countries. 'Quanto carichi in panca?' is a common icebreaker between male gym-goers. Italian gym culture celebrates consistent progress ('progressione') over raw numbers.