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A modo tuo - Ligabue
Analyzed May 02, 2026  Â· Claude live
Lyrics 38 lines
SarĂ  difficile diventar grande
It will be difficult to grow up
prima che lo diventi anche tu
before you grow up too
tu che farai tutte quelle domande
you who will ask all those questions
io fingerò di saperne di più
I will pretend to know more
sarĂ  difficile
it will be difficult
ma sarĂ  come deve essere
but it will be as it should be
metterò via i giochi
I will put away the games
proverò a crescere
I will try to grow up
SarĂ  difficile chiederti scusa
It will be difficult to apologize to you
per un mondo che è quel che è
for a world that is what it is
io nel mio piccolo tento qualcosa
I in my small way try something
ma cambiarlo è difficile
but changing it is difficult
dire tanti auguri a te
to say happy birthday to you
e a ogni compleanno
and at every birthday
vai un po' piĂą via da me
you go a little further away from me
A modo tuo andrai
You will go in your own way
camminerai e cadrai, ti alzerai
you will walk and fall, you will get up
sempre a modo tuo
always in your own way
SarĂ  difficile vederti da dietro
It will be difficult to see you from behind
sulla strada che imboccherai
on the road that you will take
tutti i semafori
all the traffic lights
tutti i divieti
all the prohibitions
e le code che eviterai
and the traffic jams you will avoid
mentre piano ti allontanerai
while slowly you will move away
a cercar da sola
to search alone
quella che sarai
who you will become
A modo tuo vedrai
You will see in your own way
dondolerai, salterai, cambierai
you will swing, jump, change
SarĂ  difficile
It will be difficult
lasciarti al mondo
to leave you to the world
e tenere un pezzetto per me
and keep a piece for myself
e nel bel mezzo del
and in the middle of
tuo girotondo
your merry-go-round
non poterti proteggere
not to be able to protect you
sarĂ  difficile
it will be difficult
ma sarĂ  fin troppo semplice
but it will be all too simple
mentre tu ti giri
while you turn
e continui a ridere
and keep on laughing
Song Summary

This poignant song explores a parent's reflections on watching their child grow up and become independent. The lyrics express the bittersweet difficulty of letting go while allowing the child to forge their own path, making their own mistakes and discoveries. The recurring refrain 'a modo tuo' (your own way) emphasizes acceptance of the child's autonomy despite the parent's natural desire to protect and guide.

Key Vocabulary
diventar grande to grow up
verb phrase; diventar is colloquial for diventare
fingerò I will pretend
future tense of fingere
metterò via I will put away
future tense with preposition via
imboccherai you will take
future tense of imboccare, referring to taking a path
divieti prohibitions/bans
plural of divieto
allontanerai you will move away
future tense of allontanare
Useful Phrases
sarĂ  difficile
it will be difficult
a modo tuo
in your own way
nel mio piccolo
in my small way/humbly
tanti auguri
happy birthday/best wishes
girotondo
merry-go-round/children's circle game
Colloquial Expressions
a modo tuo
your own way; doing things as you see fit
nel mio piccolo
in my humble capacity; in my small way
un pezzetto per me
a piece of you for myself; holding onto something
Grammar Notes
Future tense
The song uses future tense extensively (sarĂ , andrai, camminerai, vedrai) to express the inevitable changes and challenges ahead, creating a sense of foreboding and resignation about the passage of time
Repetition and refrain
The phrase 'a modo tuo' is repeated throughout as a refrain and structural anchor, emphasizing the main theme of respecting the child's autonomy and individual path
Conditional/hypothetical structure
Sentences like 'sarĂ  difficile... ma sarĂ  come deve essere' use a pattern of difficulty followed by acceptance, creating a tone of bittersweet understanding
Practice Questions
1. Who is the speaker addressing in this song, and what is their relationship?
2. What does the refrain 'a modo tuo' represent, and how does it relate to the theme of growing up?
3. What specific challenges and emotions does the parent experience as described in the lyrics?
Suggested Flashcards
a modo tuo → in your own way sarà difficile → it will be difficult metterò via i giochi → I will put away the games divieti → prohibitions/bans allontanerai → you will move away nel mio piccolo → in my small way tanti auguri → happy birthday
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