Italian · Emotions & Descriptions

"Difficult" in Italian: difficile

difficile

Say it: deef-FEE-chee-lehadjective/difˈfi.tʃi.le/

Difficult in Italian is difficile (deef-FEE-chee-leh). È difficile means it's difficult. Soften with un po' difficile when you don't want to sound dramatic.

Exam week

Questo capitolo è difficile.
This chapter is difficult.
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How to pronounce difficile

Say it

deef-FEE-chee-leh

/difˈfi.tʃi.le/

Difficile stresses FEE: deef-FEE-chee-leh. Soft ch.

"Difficult" in Italian: quick reference

ItalianEnglish
difficiledifficult

Default adjective.

è difficileit's difficult

Judgment.

troppo difficiletoo difficult

Complaint.

una domanda difficilea difficult question

School.

How to use difficile in real life

  1. 1Exam week

    Questo capitolo è difficile.

    This chapter is difficult.

    È difficile.

  2. 2Recipe fail

    La ricetta sembrava facile, ma è difficile.

    The recipe looked easy, but it's difficult.

    Difficile contrast.

  3. 3Directions

    Il sentiero è difficile dopo la pioggia.

    The trail is difficult after rain.

    Difficile.

Mistakes English speakers make with difficile

Incorrect: È difficult.

Correct: È difficile.

Use difficile.

Incorrect: Una prova difficila.

Correct: Una prova difficile.

Difficile ends in e for both genders.

Good to know

Italians often pair difficile with ma ci provo. Naming the hard part (grammar, map, recipe) sounds more useful than a bare sigh.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Studying together

  1. ChatPal

    Questa pagina ti sembra difficile?

    Does this page seem difficult to you?

  2. You

    Sì, i verbi irregolari sono difficili.

    Yes, the irregular verbs are difficult.

  3. ChatPal

    Allora ripassiamo insieme dieci minuti.

    Then let's review together for ten minutes.

  4. You

    Ok, dopo diventa meno difficile.

    Ok, afterward it gets less difficult.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"Difficult" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Difficult" in Italian

How do you say difficult?

Difficile.

It's difficult?

È difficile.

Opposite?

Facile.

Gender ending?

Difficile stays the same for m/f; plural difficili.

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