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PhrasesDescribing SymptomsHo perso molto peso senza volere.
B1

Ho perso molto peso senza volere.

I have lost a lot of weight without wanting to.

Pronunciation

per-SO — two syllables, stress on second. 'Senza volere' = without wanting to (unintentional).

When to use it

Report unintentional weight loss to a doctor. More than 5% of body weight in 6 months without dieting is a red flag.

What it means

'Ho perso peso' = I have lost weight (passato prossimo of 'perdere'). 'Senza volere' = without wanting to (unintentionally). 'Calo ponderale involontario' is the medical term. Causes range from benign (increased activity, stress) to serious (cancer, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, depression, malabsorption). Italian doctors treat this as a red flag requiring full investigation.

Variations

Ho perso sette chili in due mesi senza dieta.

I have lost seven kilos in two months without dieting.

Specify amount and timeframe — important for assessing severity

Ho la sensazione di mangiare normalmente ma dimagrisco.

I feel like I am eating normally but I am losing weight.

Weight loss despite normal intake — suggests malabsorption or hypermetabolism

Ho cambiato nulla nella mia dieta ma il peso continua a scendere.

I have changed nothing in my diet but my weight keeps dropping.

Unchanging diet with continued loss — needs metabolic workup

Mini Dialogue

— Ho perso molto peso senza volere. Otto chili in tre mesi. — Ha cambiato alimentazione o attività fisica? — Niente. Anzi, ho appetito ma dimagrisco lo stesso. — Ha anche sete aumentata? Urina spesso? — Sì, entrambe le cose. — Potrebbe essere il diabete. Le chiedo subito la glicemia.

— I have lost a lot of weight without wanting to. Eight kilos in three months. — Have you changed your diet or physical activity? — Nothing. In fact, I have an appetite but I am losing weight anyway. — Have you also had increased thirst? Do you urinate often? — Yes, both. — It could be diabetes. I will check your blood sugar right away.

Cultural Note

Type 1 diabetes presenting with weight loss ('dimagrimento'), thirst ('polidipsia'), and frequent urination ('poliuria') is a triad Italian GPs are trained to recognise. Italy has about 300,000 type 1 diabetic patients and 3.5 million type 2. The Italian Society of Diabetology ('SID') runs awareness campaigns. Newly diagnosed diabetics in Italy are enrolled in comprehensive diabetes management programmes through the SSN.