I'm thinking of going self-employed.
'Mettermi' = MET-ter-mee — the reflexive 'mi' attached to the infinitive. 'In proprio' = een PRO-pryo — fixed phrase.
Share when contemplating a career change or entrepreneurial move. In Italy, expressing entrepreneurial ambitions is socially acceptable and increasingly common, especially among under-40s.
'Mettersi in proprio' = 'to set oneself up independently' — an idiomatic expression for going self-employed or starting your own business. 'Sto pensando di + infinitive' = 'I'm thinking of + verb-ing' — a very useful B1 structure.
Voglio aprire la mia attività.
I want to open my own business.
'Aprire un'attività' = to open/start a business — common entrepreneurial phrase.
Ho l'idea di fondare una startup.
I have the idea of founding a startup.
'Fondare' = to found/establish — used for companies and organizations.
Sogno di lavorare per me stesso/a.
I dream of working for myself.
Aspirational phrasing — the entrepreneurial dream.
Italy has a strong tradition of small and medium-sized family businesses ('PMI — piccole e medie imprese') that form the backbone of the Italian economy. The entrepreneurial spirit is culturally valued, especially in regions like Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy.