I Funktionsverbgefüge tra didattica del tedesco come lingua straniera e Leichte Sprache

'Funktionsverbgefüge' (FVG) (e.g. zum Ausdruck bringen 'to express' or in Gang setzen 'to set in motion') represent a real challenge in language production for German learners. In this article, I will briefly present the main characteristics of FVG and then turn with an empirical study to their description in (mono- and bilingual) dictionaries and in German didactic grammars. The two tests conducted offer preliminary empirical data on pos-sible difficulties for Italian-speaking students with regard to these word combinations. The article also discusses the use of FVG in Leichte Sprache (German Easy Language) and the relationship between Leichte Sprache and the teaching of German as a foreign language. The latter can provide Leichte Sprache with useful categories for reflecting on which phenomena are actual-ly challenging for non-native speakers with limited language skills. At the same time, some principles of this simplified variety of German may be use-ful for the design of teaching materials.