Ho paura di dimenticare il passaporto in albergo.

Because Italian expresses this idea with the noun paura (fear) and the verb avere (to have):

• ho paura = I am afraid / I have fear

This is different from English, where we often use to be + adjective: I am afraid.

A few similar Italian expressions are:

• ho fame = I am hungry
• ho sete = I am thirsty
• ho freddo = I am cold

So ho paura is the normal Italian structure.

In this sentence, di links paura to the action that causes the fear:

• Ho paura di dimenticare... = I’m afraid of forgetting...

A useful pattern is:

• avere paura di + infinitive

Examples:

• Ho paura di sbagliare. = I’m afraid of making a mistake.
• Ha paura di volare. = He/She is afraid of flying.

So here, di dimenticare means of forgetting.

Because after ho paura di, Italian normally uses the infinitive when the subject of both actions is the same.

Here the same person is doing both things:

• Ho paura = I am afraid
• dimenticare = to forget

Since I am the one who is afraid and also the one who might forget, Italian uses:

• ho paura di + infinitive

If the subject changes, Italian often uses che + a finite verb instead:

• Ho paura che lui dimentichi il passaporto.
  = I’m afraid that he’ll forget the passport.

Italian uses definite articles more often than English. In many general or everyday situations, Italian prefers:

• il passaporto
• la macchina
• il telefono

Even where English might say my passport or just passport depending on context, Italian often uses the article if the meaning is clear.

So:

• dimenticare il passaporto = to forget the passport / my passport

In this sentence, it is understood that it means my passport, even though mio is not stated.

Yes, absolutely.

• Ho paura di dimenticare il mio passaporto in albergo.

This is more explicit and can add emphasis or clarity. But in many normal situations, Italian does not need the possessive because it is already obvious whose passport we mean.

So both are possible:

• il passaporto = natural and common
• il mio passaporto = clearer or more emphatic

Because in albergo usually means at the hotel / in the hotel in a general location sense.

With places such as hotel, bank, office, class, Italian often uses in to indicate being there or going there in a broad sense:

• in banca
• in ufficio
• in classe
• in albergo

By contrast, all’albergo would usually sound more like to the hotel or at the hotel in a more specific directional or situational sense, and it is not the most natural choice here.

So:

• dimenticare il passaporto in albergo = to leave/forget the passport at the hotel

That is the standard phrasing.

Literally, dimenticare means to forget, but in this context it naturally implies forgetting it somewhere, so in English it often feels like leave behind.

So:

• Ho paura di dimenticare il passaporto in albergo

can be understood as:

• I’m afraid of forgetting my passport at the hotel
• I’m afraid I’ll leave my passport at the hotel

Italian uses dimenticare very naturally in this kind of situation.

The given word order is the most natural:

• Ho paura di dimenticare il passaporto in albergo.

But Italian word order can sometimes shift for emphasis.

For example:

• Ho paura di dimenticare in albergo il passaporto.

This is possible, but it sounds less neutral and may emphasize in albergo more.

So for a learner, the safest and most natural order is:

• Ho paura di dimenticare il passaporto in albergo.

Yes. In English, we often distinguish:

• in the hotel
• at the hotel

But Italian in albergo can cover the general idea of being at that place or inside that place, depending on context.

In this sentence, the practical meaning is:

• at the hotel
• or more literally, in the hotel

Both are valid ways to understand it.

Yes, in many cases you can.

• Ho paura di scordare il passaporto in albergo.

However, dimenticare is generally more standard and more widely taught. Scordare is also common, but it can sound a bit more informal or regional depending on context.

For a learner, dimenticare is the safest default choice.

You put non before the verb:

• Non ho paura di dimenticare il passaporto in albergo.

= I’m not afraid of forgetting the passport at the hotel.

That is the normal way to negate it.

Yes, you can also say:

• Ho paura che dimenticherò il passaporto in albergo.

This means more literally:

• I’m afraid that I will forget the passport at the hotel.

However, in everyday Italian, ho paura di + infinitive is often more natural when the subject is the same:

• Ho paura di dimenticare il passaporto in albergo.

So both are understandable, but the original version is very idiomatic and common.

Paura is a noun, not an adjective.

So the structure is:

• Ho = I have
• paura = fear
• di dimenticare... = of forgetting...

Even though English translates it as I am afraid, Italian is literally building the idea as I have fear of forgetting...

That is why the sentence works with avere instead of essere.