Signification
Describing something as hard.
Contexte culturel
In Italy, 'È difficile' is often the first thing you hear at a government office. It doesn't mean 'no', it means 'this will take time and many stamps'. There is a cultural pride in 'liceo classico' where subjects are intentionally 'difficili' to build character and intellect. In the south, 'È difficile' might be accompanied by a specific gesture—a slight tilt of the head and a shrug—to emphasize the impossibility of a situation. Cooking is seen as an art. If a dish is 'difficile', it is a compliment to the chef who masters it.
Agreement is Key
Remember to change it to 'difficili' if you are talking about more than one thing!
The 'Duro' Trap
Don't call a difficult person 'duro' unless you mean they are physically tough or emotionally cold.
Signification
Describing something as hard.
Agreement is Key
Remember to change it to 'difficili' if you are talking about more than one thing!
The 'Duro' Trap
Don't call a difficult person 'duro' unless you mean they are physically tough or emotionally cold.
Subjunctive Alert
If you say 'È difficile che...', get ready to use the subjunctive. It makes you sound very advanced!
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'difficile'.
Le domande dell'esame sono molto _______.
Since 'domande' is feminine plural, the adjective must be 'difficili'.
Which sentence is correct?
Choose the correct way to say 'It is difficult to speak Italian'.
Use 'difficile' for tasks and skills. 'Duro' is for physical hardness.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Vuoi venire in montagna con noi? B: Vorrei, ma per me _______ camminare così tanto.
The context suggests a challenge or obstacle.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Match 'È difficile che lui arrivi' to the correct context.
When followed by 'che' and the subjunctive, it often means 'it is unlikely'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Difficile vs. Duro
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesLe domande dell'esame sono molto _______.
Since 'domande' is feminine plural, the adjective must be 'difficili'.
Choose the correct way to say 'It is difficult to speak Italian'.
Use 'difficile' for tasks and skills. 'Duro' is for physical hardness.
A: Vuoi venire in montagna con noi? B: Vorrei, ma per me _______ camminare così tanto.
The context suggests a challenge or obstacle.
Match 'È difficile che lui arrivi' to the correct context.
When followed by 'che' and the subjunctive, it often means 'it is unlikely'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, it means they are hard to please or have a complex character. 'Lui è un tipo difficile'.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
The opposite is 'facile' (easy).
It's optional before an infinitive, but usually omitted in modern Italian: 'È difficile capire'.
Yes, 'molto' (very) is the most common way to intensify it.
That is the absolute superlative, meaning 'extremely difficult'.
Only to say an event is unlikely: 'È difficile che nevichi' (It's unlikely to snow).
Yes, 'Una partita difficile' is a very common phrase.
No, 'difficile' ends in -e, so it's the same for masculine and feminine singular.
Use 'È stato difficile' for a specific event or 'Era difficile' for a general state.
Expressions liées
Non è facile
synonymIt's not easy.
È un casino
slangIt's a mess / It's very hard.
È complicato
similarIt's complicated.
È una passeggiata
contrastIt's a walk in the park.
