Il mio amico era seccato di non poter nuotare al mare a causa del maltempo.

My friend was annoyed at not being able to swim in the sea due to the bad weather.

Breakdown of Il mio amico era seccato di non poter nuotare al mare a causa del maltempo.

• essere: to be
• l'amico: the friend
• mio: my
• nuotare: to swim
• il mare: the sea
• seccato: annoyed
• non poter: to not be able
• a causa di: due to
• il maltempo: the bad weather

Questions & Answers about Il mio amico era seccato di non poter nuotare al mare a causa del maltempo.

What is the literal meaning of era seccato and how is it used in this sentence?

Literally, era seccato means “he was dried out,” but in Italian it’s a common colloquial way of saying “he was annoyed” or “he was irritated.” It’s used figuratively to communicate annoyance or irritation. In this sentence, it emphasizes your friend's feeling of frustration about not being able to swim.

Why do we say al mare instead of nel mare?

In Italian, al mare typically means “to the seaside” or refers to the beach area by the sea. You use nel mare when you specifically mean “in the water of the sea.” Here, because the friend wanted to swim at the beach/sea location, al mare is more natural.

Why do we use di before non poter nuotare?

Di commonly follows certain verbs or expressions that describe an emotion or a state of being, such as essere contento di, stanco di, or seccato di. It introduces the clause that explains the cause or the reason for that feeling. Thus, era seccato di non poter nuotare explains that his annoyance stemmed from not being able to swim.

What does a causa del maltempo mean, and why not just per il maltempo?

Both a causa del maltempo and per il maltempo convey the idea of “because of bad weather.” However, a causa di places a bit more emphasis on the cause as something that prevents or hinders an intended action. Per tends to be more general. In many contexts, they can be interchanged, but a causa di often adds that slight nuance of a direct cause or reason.

Are there synonyms for maltempo?

Yes! Some common synonyms include cattivo tempo (literally “bad weather”), brutto tempo (“ugly/bad weather”), and tempo inclemente (“inclement weather”). They all describe weather conditions that are unfavorable.