Learn Italian: Mio padre ha sempre fretta. - My father is always in a hurry.

In English, we say someone is in a hurry, but Italian uses the verb avere (to have) to express this physical state. Avere fretta literally translates to having haste. This is exactly like how Italians say they have hunger (avere fame) or have cold (avere freddo).

Why is there no il before mio padre?

Normally, possessive words in Italian need a definite article in front of them, like il mio gatto (my cat). However, there is a special exception for family members: when referring to a singular, close family relative like padre, madre, or fratello, you must drop the article.

Where should an adverb like sempre go in this sentence?

Adverbs of frequency, like sempre (always), usually go directly after the conjugated verb. In this sentence, it sits naturally right between the verb ha and the noun fretta.

Does fretta change its ending if the subject is plural?

No, fretta will stay exactly the same. Because it is a noun meaning haste rather than an adjective, it does not change to match the gender or number of the subject. If the subject were plural, like my parents, they would still have haste: I miei genitori hanno fretta.