Have you ever made mistakes in Italian that left you red-faced and wishing you could vanish? Maybe you confidently declared you were caldo (hot) and instead of saying you felt hot, were actually saying you felt sexy. Or perhaps, while ordering food, you ended up asking for pene (penis) all’arrabbiata instead of penne (the pasta shape)? Oops!
We’ve all been there — carefully putting together a sentence in Italian, only to be met with puzzled looks or suppressed giggles is practically a rite of passage. The thing is, mistakes are a natural (and essential) part of learning Italian. But, hey, how nice it would be to skip some of the more embarrassing moments and feel a bit more confident!
That’s exactly what this guide is here for! I’ll walk you through 16 of the most frequent mistakes in Italian, from mixing up words that sound alike to fumbling tricky verb tenses or misplacing pronouns, we’ll cover it all. By knowing what to watch out for, you won’t just avoid awkward slip-ups, you’ll sound smoother and more precise when you speak.
So, grab a cappuccino, get comfy, and let’s tackle these mistakes together. Iniziamo! (Let’s get started!)
Do you make these 16 common Mistakes in Italian?
Learning Italian is exciting, but it’s easy to fall into common mistakes that can make your sentences sound awkward or unnatural. Don’t worry though —first, we’ll do an Italian grammar check to spot those sneaky errors, and with a little practice (and probably a few laughs), you’ll get more comfortable and skilled in no time!
1. Misusing definite articles
Why is it tricky?
In English, there’s only one definite article (the) and it works with all nouns, no matter their gender or number. Italian, however, has seven different forms: il, lo, la, I, gli, le, l’ and choosing the wrong one is a common mistake. For example, you might say things like porto il zaino instead of porto lo zaino (I bring the backpack) or ho conosciuto i zii di Michele instead of ho conosciuto gli zii di Michele (I met Michele’s uncles).
On top of that, while English often drops the definite article, Italian rarely does. For instance, in English, we might naturally say “I eat pasta,” but in Italian, we need to say mangio la pasta (I eat the pasta).
How to fix it
To choose the right definite article in Italian, you need to look at the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun. For example, a singular masculine noun like libro (book) uses il, while a plural feminine noun like case (houses) takes le.
You also need to pay attention to the first letter of the noun. If it’s a vowel, you’ll need to use l’ instead of il or la. For example, l’auto (the car) instead of la auto. And then there are exceptions, like some masculine nouns requiring lo instead of il.
Examples
- Amo gli italiani – I love Italians
- L’appartamento è libero – The flat is available
- Lo studente è in ritardo – The student is late
Learn more
Read my guide on how grammatical gender in Italian works. It’ll give you a strong foundation to master articles and avoid these common mistakes in Italian.
2. Confusing “essere” and “stare”
Why is it tricky?
The verbs essere and stare can both mean “to be” in English, but they carry different nuances and are not always interchangeable. To add to the confusion, they share the same past participle (stato). This often leads to mistakes, such as saying sono bene instead of sto bene to mean “I’m good,” or asking com’è Sara? to inquire about Sara’s well-being, when in reality, this question asks about Sara’s characteristics or personality.
How to fix it
One of the tricks to using essere and stare correctly is to look at the temporary/permanent state of what you’re talking about. Essere is mostly used to describe something that defines you or doesn’t change easily, like traits, identities, or emotions. On the other hand, stare is more about temporary conditions, state of being, or actions that are happening at the moment.
Examples
- Sto felice → Sono felice (I’m happy – an emotion, state of being)
- Sto bionda → Sono bionda (I’m blond – permanent trait)
- Sono male → Sto male (I’m doing badly – a temporary condition, state of being)
- Sono lavorando → Sto lavorando (I’m working – an action happening right now)
Learn more
Check out my guide to the differences between essere and stare for a more detailed explanation of these two verbs and tips on using them correctly.
3. Misusing “piacere” (to like)
Why is it tricky?
The verb piacere (to like) behaves quite differently in Italian compared to English. In English, we say that someone likes something, where the person doing the liking is the subject and the thing being liked is the object. In Italian, however, piacere literally means “to be pleasing to someone,” which completely changes the sentence structure. This leads to common mistakes, such as relying on the English construction and saying things like io piaccio la pizza (which doesn’t make sense in Italian) instead of mi piace la pizza (I like pizza – lit. pizza is pleasing to me), where mi (to me) is the indirect object pronoun, and the verb piace is conjugated based on the thing being liked —in this case, pizza.
How to fix it
To use piacere correctly, think of the sentence as if something is pleasing to someone. Here’s the structure:
- the subject of the sentence is the thing being liked
- the person who “likes” something is the indirect object (expressed with “a + name” or an indirect object pronoun)
- the verb is conjugated based on the thing being liked, not the person doing the liking
Examples
- Io piaccio il risotto → Mi piace il risotto (I like risotto – literally, risotto is pleasing to me)
- Maria piace i musei → A Maria piacciono i musei (Maria likes museums, literally museums are pleasing to Maria)
Learn more
Take a look at my guide on expressing I like in Italian for a better understanding of the verb piacere.
4. Overusing personal subject pronouns
Why is it tricky?
In Italian, verb endings are specific to each subject, which means we can usually tell who the subject is just by looking at the verb. This is different from English, where verb endings don’t change much and subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.) are always necessary (e.g., I study, you study, we study, etc.). Because of this, including subject pronouns in Italian sentences like io gioco a calcio (I play football) or noi andiamo in montagna (we go to the mountains) would make them sound heavy and redundant.
How to fix it
The golden rule is to omit the subject pronoun, using it only when you need to emphasize the subject or when there’s a risk of confusion due to multiple subjects in the same sentence.
Examples
- Studio italiano – I study Italian (the verb studio already tells us it’s the first-person singular, so the subject pronoun io is unnecessary)
- Anna ama viaggiare, ma lui lavora sempre – Anna loves to travel, but he is always working (here, the subject pronoun lui clarifies who lavora refers to, avoiding confusion)
- Lui hai detto di aspettare! – It was him who said to wait! (here, lui is used to emphasize the subject)
Learn more
Check out my guide on how to use Italian subject pronouns to explore this topic further.
5. Struggling with prepositions
Why is it tricky?
Italian prepositions can be challenging because they are quite versatile and often don’t match their English counterparts directly. This can lead to confusion when trying to use them correctly, especially with prepositions like da / di, or a / in. Common mistakes include phrases like vengo di Dublino instead of vengo da Dublino (I’m from Dublin), or abito in Firenze instead of abito a Firenze (I live in Florence).
How to fix it
Unfortunately, there is no simple trick for mastering Italian prepositions, and mistakes are unavoidable. The key is to familiarize yourself with their usage gradually, starting from the most common rules. For example, we need to use a with cities and in with countries or regions when discussing our location, or venire + da and essere + di when specifying where we are from.
Examples
- Mio cugino vive a Napoli – My cousin lives in Naples
- Andiamo da tua mamma per Natale? – Shall we go to your mom’s for Christmas?
Learn more
Read my comprehensive guide to Italian prepositions to gain a deeper understanding of their usage.
6. Misplacing adjectives
Why is it tricky?
In Italian, adjectives usually come after the noun, but many default to the English pattern, where adjectives typically come before the noun. This leads to common mistakes like hai visto il biondo ragazzo? instead of hai visto il ragazzo biondo? (have you seen the blonde boy?) or ho letto un interessante libro instead of ho letto un libro interessante (I read an interesting book).
However, this is not a strict rule in Italian. Some adjectives can appear before the noun, and in certain cases, the position of the adjective can even change their meaning, making it a bit tricky to know where to place them in a sentence.
How to fix it
Stick to the general rule of placing adjectives after the noun. Then, familiarize yourself with key exceptions, such as adjectives of nationality or color, which must always follow the noun, or adjectives like vecchio (old) and grande (big) that take on a figurative meaning when placed before the noun.
Examples
- Luigi ha comprato una macchina nera – Luigi bought a black car
- Dei vecchi colleghi – Some colleagues I’ve known for years (here, vecchi takes on the figurative meaning, referring to long-standing relationships rather than age).
Learn more
Discover 175 common Italian adjectives to describe anything and how to place them!
7. Incorrectly conjugating irregular verbs
Why is it tricky?
Italian features many irregular verbs that don’t follow the standard conjugation patterns, making them a bit tricky to learn. That’s why one of the most common mistakes in Italian is applying regular conjugation rules where they don’t belong, leading to some funny mix-ups like ando instead of vado for “I go” or usco instead of esco for “I go out.”
How to fix it
Start with the most common irregular verbs that appear frequently in everyday conversation, such as fare (to do, to make), andare (to go), avere (to have), and essere (to be). Once you’re comfortable with those, move on to groups of verbs that share similar irregularities, such as verbs ending in -gliere and -gnere, like cogliere (to pick, to catch) or spegnere (to turn off).
Examples
- Andi a scuola domani? → Vai a scuola domani? (Are you going to school tomorrow? — from andare)
- Pulo la mia stanza → Pulisco la mia stanza (I clean my room — from pulire)
- Aviamo un nuovo insegnante → Abbiamo un nuovo insegnante (We have a new teacher — from avere)
Learn more
Check out these top 30 irregular verbs you need to know for everyday conversations!
8. Forgetting noun/adjective agreement
Why is it tricky?
In English adjectives remain the same no matter the noun they describe. In Italian, however, they must agree with the gender and number of the noun. This often results in four possible endings (-o, -a, -i, and -e). But many forget to adjust the adjective accordingly, making mistakes like la casa è bello instead of la casa è bella (the house is nice). To complicate things further, some adjectives don’t follow the standard pattern. For example, the adjective rosa (pink) stays the same regardless of gender or number, as in le scarpe rosa (the pink shoes) or il maglione rosa (the pink jumper).
How to fix it
Always identify the gender and number of the noun before choosing or modifying the adjective. Then apply the basic rules, such as adjectives ending in -e have only two forms (-e for singular and -i for plural) or some like blu (blue), arrosto (roasted) or mozzafiato (breathtaking) remain unchanged regardless of the gender or number of the noun they describe.
Examples
- Il ragazzo alto (The tall boy) – La ragazza alta (The tall girl)
- Un pollo arrosto (A roasted chicken) – Le patate arrosto (Roasted potatoes)
Learn more
Read my comprehensive guide to Italian adjectives for all the rules and exceptions of noun/adjective agreement.
9. Misunderstanding reflexive verbs
Why is it tricky?
Many Italian verbs are reflexive, meaning the action is performed by the subject on themselves. However, some, such as arrabbiarsi (to get angry) or svegliarsi (to wake up), don’t translate literally into English, so it’s easy to forget to use the reflexive pronoun in Italian, which is essential to show that the subject is also the receiver of the action. For example, instead of saying mi arrabbio (I get angry), you might incorrectly say io arrabbio. Similarly, instead of mi sveglio presto (I wake up early), you might say io sveglio presto.
How to fix it
To identify reflexive verbs, look for the -si ending in their infinitive form, such as lavarsi (to wash oneself), divertirsi (to have fun), etc. When conjugating these verbs, remember to add the reflexive pronoun before the verb, or attach it to the end when using the infinitive or imperative forms.
Examples
- Mi vesto e scendo! — I get dressed and head downstairs!
- Ci svegliamo sempre tardi la domenica — We always wake up late on Sundays.
Learn more
For more tips and detailed explanations, take a look at my guide on how to use Italian reflexive verbs.
10. Ignoring double consonants
Why is it tricky?
Unlike English, double consonants are very common in Italian. If you miss or mispronounce them, you could accidentally change the entire meaning of a word—and that can lead to some pretty funny (or awkward) situations! For example cappello (hat) turns into capello (hair) and cammino (I walk / path) becomes camino (chimney). On the more embarrassing side, we have penne (the pasta shape) could easily be mistaken for pene (penis) and anno (year) might become ano (anus)!
How to fix it
Double consonants are pronounced for a longer duration and with more emphasis than single consonants. Reading books out loud is a great way to practice.
Examples
- Vado a casa (I go home) vs Vado alla cassa (I go to the cash register)
- Devo prendere la mirra (I need to get some myrrh) vs Devo prendere la mira (I need to line up my shot)
Learn more
Check out my guide to mastering the alphabet and pronunciation in Italian, complete with tips to help you avoid common mistakes.
11. Using incorrect word order
Why is it tricky?
The way sentences are put together is different in Italian and English. For example, in English, we change the word order and add helping words like do/does before the subject to make a question. Italians, instead, just take a regular statement, add a questioning tone, and put a question mark at the end. This can lead to mistakes like ha Giulia visto il film? instead of the correct Giulia ha visto il film? (Did Giulia watch the movie?).
Another key difference is that in Italian, the subject is often placed after the verb for emphasis, which can feel a little strange for English speakers, who are used to keeping the subject first. For example, ho preso io le chiavi literally means “I took the keys” but with a little extra emphasis: I took the keys myself.
How to fix it
Start with the basic Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure as your foundation. Then, practice the correct placement of elements like pronouns and adjectives, and gradually move on to more complex structures. A great way to do this is by exposing yourself to everyday language, such as through podcasts or TV series.
Examples
- Ha vinto Marco! — Marco won!
- Ho chiamato Laura, la vedo stasera — I called Laura, I’m seeing her tonight.
Learn more
Read my guide to Italian sentence structure and word order for more examples and tips to make your speech sound natural and correct.
12. Misusing auxiliary verbs in the past tense
Why is it tricky?
In English, the auxiliary verb “to have” is used to form the past tense for almost all verbs. In Italian, however, verbs are classified into two groups: those that use essere (to be) and those that use avere (to have) as auxiliary verbs. For example, to say “I went,” Italians say sono andato (literally “I am gone”) and not ho andato (which would be incorrect).
How to fix it
To correct this, it’s important to learn the different verb types. Verbs that describe movement (like andare – to go, uscire – to exit) or changes in state (like stare – to stay, diventare – to become) generally use essere as the auxiliary verb, and their past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject. All other verbs, especially those with a direct object, require the auxiliary avere, and their past participle always remains in its masculine singular form.
Examples
- Siamo andati al cinema — We went to the cinema
- Ho mangiato una pizza — I ate pizza
Learn more
Explore my guide to passato prossimo for more details of the auxiliary essere or avere.
13. Mixing up “gli” and “li”
Why is it tricky?
Because gli and li look and sound very similar, many often use one when they mean the other. However, these two words have distinct functions, and mixing them is considered a serious mistake in Italian — but don’t worry, even Italians occasionally slip up, ending up saying things like gli ho comprati instead of li ho comprati (I bought them) or li ho prestato il libro instead of gli ho prestato il libro (I lent him the book
Gli functions as both a masculine singular definite article (the) and an indirect object pronoun (to him), while li is a direct object pronoun (them). Common mistakes include saying gli ho comprati instead of li ho comprati (I bought them) or li ho prestato il libro instead of gli ho prestato il libro (I lent him the book).
How to fix it
To avoid confusion, it’s important to remember the key differences in their functions. Gli can be both a masculine singular definite article (meaning “the”) and an indirect object pronoun (meaning “to him”). On the other hand, li is a direct object pronoun (meaning “them”).
Examples
- Gli ho spiegato il problema — I explained the problem to him
- Li ho visti ieri — I saw them yesterday
Learn more
Check out my guides to direct object pronouns and indirect object pronouns to master gli and li and avoid these mistakes in Italian.
14. Struggling with the subjunctive mood
Why is it tricky?
The subjunctive is one of the most challenging verb forms in Italian because we don’t really use it in English. This means we often struggle to recognize when to use it in Italian, and many end up avoiding it altogether. The result? Incorrect sentences that hurt to listen to, like penso che è vero instead of penso che sia vero (I think that it is true) or se ero ricco mi licenziavo instead of se fossi stato ricco, mi sarei licenziato (if I had been rich, I would have quit).
How to fix it
After memorizing the basic conjugations of the subjunctive mood, focus on recognizing the specific triggers that require the subjunctive. These include certain verbs (like pensare – to think, sperare – to hope, etc.), expressions (like è importante che – it’s important that), and conjunctions (like sebbene – although, prima che – before, etc.).
Examples
- Penso che sia interessante — I think that it is interesting.
- Ti spiego tutto prima che tu parta — I’ll explain everything before you leave.
Learn more
Check out my ultimate beginner guide to subjunctive in Italian for everything you need to know about this verb form, from when to use it to how to conjugate it.
15. Falling for false friends
Why is it tricky?
False friends are words that look or sound similar in Italian and English but have totally different meanings. This can easily lead to misunderstandings, often resulting in hilarious or even awkward situations. For example, if you tell someone you’re using preservativi to preserve your food, thinking it’s like the English word “preservatives,” you might get some very confused and red-faced reactions because in reality, you’ve just said… condoms!
Some particularly funny false friends include:
- Morbido (soft) vs morbid (disturbing)
- Ostrica (oyster) vs ostrich (the bird that runs)
- Accidente (misfortune) vs accident (physical accident )
- Eccitato (horny) vs excited (enthusiastic)
How to fix it
There’s no magic formula to dodge false friends, but you can definitely reduce the chances of embarrassing slip-ups by learning them as you go. The best way? Immerse yourself in real Italian — watch TV shows, read books, or listen to podcasts. The more you hear how words are actually used, the easier it’ll be to spot and avoid these sneaky false friends!
Examples
- Luca è molto educato (Luca is very polite) vs Luca is highly educated (Luca has received a lot of formal education)
- Attualmente non lavoro (Currently, I am not working) vs Actually, I don’t work (In reality, I don’t work)
Learn more
Watch my video on common false friends in Italian to avoid embarrassing mistakes and speak more confidently!
16. Translating literally from English
Why is it tricky?
When you translate directly from English into Italian, you might end up using phrases that sound awkward or hilariously wrong. This happens because idiomatic expressions, word order and sentence structure don’t always match between the two languages. What makes perfect sense in English might leave Italians scratching their heads (or giggling). A classic example is translating “I’m warm” as sono caldo, which actually suggests you’re feeling sexy and turned on, rather than simply referring to your temperature!
How to fix it
Rather than translating word-for-word, try to think directly in Italian. Start by memorizing common expressions used in everyday conversations, so you’re not tempted to rely on English sentence structure.Don’t know where to start? Dive into classic fairy tales like Pinocchio or Cappuccetto Rosso (Little Red Riding Hood) —they’re a fun and accessible way to familiarize yourself with typical expressions and grammar patterns!
Examples
- I am wrong → Ho torto (Italian equivalent), not Sono sbagliato (literal translation, which in Italian means there’s something wrong with me)
- It makes sense → Ha senso (Italian equivalent), not Fa senso (literal translation, which in Italian means that something’s disgusting)
Learn more
Check out these 125 basic Italian phrases for travel to familiarize with constructions and start thinking in the language to sound more fluent and natural!
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the most common mistakes in Italian, it’s time to test your skills with an Italian grammar check and see if you can spot all the errors in real-life sentences!
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