I was talking with someone a while ago, and in discussing my wife (who hasn't studied italian), I said: "ma riesce a capire bene".
The person I was speaking to didn't understand "al volo" (on the fly, right away), so I said "Cioè, può capire un po' di italiano", which they understood immediately.
The thing is, in this case "riesce", coming from riuscire/to succeed, is the more "proper" thing to say in Italian.
As English speakers, we almost never say "I succeed in doing something", even though that might be what we really mean. We use "can" for nearly everything, ignoring the subtle differences in meaning that can be achieved with other words. I'm always reminded of the classic grammar school situation:
"Mrs. X, can I go to the bathroom???"
"I don't know, can you?"
"Arg! Fine, may I go to the bathroom?"
These nuances exist in Italian as well, it just that they tend to actually use them more, at least in the case of riuscire vs. potere. Riuscire is to succeed or be successful in doing something. Potere, generally, is more about being physically capable of it. It's a style point that takes some getting used to for English speakers, which really just means that it takes practice. I suggest keeping your ears open now that you're aware of it, and looking for examples. Over time, start to critique yourself when you want to use "potere"- are you talking about succeeding in something? If so, you might sound better using "riuscire".
The title of this post is a great example. In english, I would say "Can I explain (...this topic)?". But what I really mean to ask is not whether I can physically explain it, but whether I'll be successful in conveying the information. Therefore, "riesco a spiegare?" is the better way to go.
Allora, ci ho riuscito?
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