Italian · Real conversations
How to say “Something has come up.” in Italian
Explain that an unexpected matter has interrupted your plan.
È successo un imprevisto.
Something has come up.
The expression gives a brief reason without requiring private details.
Use it in three situations
A last-minute message
È successo un imprevisto.
Something has come up.
Explaining a cancellation
È sorto un imprevisto al lavoro.
Something has come up at work.
Changing a social plan
È sorto un imprevisto, quindi devo cambiare i nostri programmi.
Something has come up, so I need to change our plans.
What to watch for
Use an expression for an unexpected event rather than translating physical upward movement.
Read the whole expression before replacing a detail. The natural wording may use a different order or construction from the English sentence.
Your turn
Imagine changing plans. Say this in Italian: Something has come up at work.
Reveal a sample reply
È sorto un imprevisto al lavoro.
Something has come up at work.
Build a useful exchange
Explain a change and offer a clear next step.
This expression in other languages
A note on speaking Italian
Use tu with friends and Lei with someone you address formally. A request with vorrei or potrebbe can soften the tone; it still helps to say what you need clearly. The examples label the situation so you can choose the appropriate relationship.
Read doubled consonants distinctly and keep the written accents. The English translation explains the intended message; Italian often chooses a different construction rather than matching each English word.
