Learn Italian: Abbiamo un grosso problema.

Abbiamo un grosso problema.

We have a big problem.

Breakdown of Abbiamo un grosso problema.

Questions & Answers about Abbiamo un grosso problema.

Why does it use un instead of una? Doesn't problema end in -a, making it feminine?

This is a tricky exception! Most Italian nouns ending in -a are feminine, but problema is originally a Greek word. Many words of Greek origin ending in -ma (like problema, sistema, and programma) are actually masculine. That is why it takes the masculine article un.

Why is grosso placed before problema instead of after it?

While most adjectives in Italian follow the noun, a small group of very common, everyday adjectives describing size, age, or goodness (like grosso, grande, piccolo, and vecchio) typically go before the noun.

Could I say un problema grosso instead?

Yes, you can. Putting the adjective after the noun (un problema grosso) places a lot more emphasis on the word 'big' and sounds a bit more dramatic. Putting it before the noun (un grosso problema) is the standard, most natural way to say you have a major issue.

What is the difference between using grosso and grande here?

Both can mean 'big', and you could absolutely say un grande problema. However, grosso literally means thick or bulky. When used with abstract nouns like a problem, it emphasizes that the issue is heavy, severe, or a huge hassle to deal with.