ho paura
The English phrase "I am scared" is expressed in Italian as ho paura.
ho paura is used to express that a person feels fear or is frightened.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to "I have fear" rather than "I am scared."
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb avere in ho paura must be conjugated to match the subject, such as hai paura for "you are scared". To say you are scared of something, you must use the preposition di after the phrase (as in ho paura di). When expressing fear about a specific action or event, use che followed by a conjugated verb (as in ho paura che).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb essere (to be) to say sono paura. Instead, use the verb avere (to have) as in ho paura.
Did you know?
- In casual conversation, Italians might say che paura as an exclamation to mean 'how scary' or 'that is crazy', even if they are not actually frightened.
- The word paura comes from the Latin pavor, which specifically referred to a trembling or shaking kind of fear.
- Using avere in ho paura is part of a larger pattern in Italian where physical and emotional states, like hunger ho fame or thirst ho sete, are treated as things one possesses.
Examples in context
- "A dirti il vero, ho paura delle altezze." "Sei un codardo!""To tell you the truth, I am scared of heights." "You are a coward!"This sentence is useful for seeing how to use ho paura to express a fear of something specific.Tatoeba #8467660 by Guybrush88, translation #1511 by Tesseract42
- Ho paura che qualcosa possa andare male.I am afraid something might go wrong.
- Ho paura del buio.I am scared of the dark.
- Non venire qui, ho paura!Don't come here, I am scared!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Lorenzo are watching a horror movie together at home.
- MartinaLorenzo, spegni il film, ho paura.Lorenzo, turn off the movie, I am scared.
- LorenzoNon essere così fifona, Martina.Don't be such a coward, Martina.
- MartinaMa io ho davvero paura!But I am really scared!
- LorenzoVa bene, cambiamo canale.Alright, let's change the channel.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries paura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
