Meaning
accident, mishap
- stroke, seizure
- nothing, damn (in negative idioms)
In a sentence
Che accidenti è successo ieri in ufficio?
What on earth happened yesterday at the office?
Non è stato un accidente, l'hai fatto apposta.
It wasn't an accident, you did it on purpose.
Non ho capito un accidente di quella spiegazione.
I didn't understand a single thing from that explanation.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| accidente | masculine · singular |
| accidenti | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- For everyday “accident,” Italians more often say incidente for traffic or serious events; accidente can sound broader, older, or more literary.
- In exclamations, accidente! is colloquial and a bit dated, like “damn!” or “blast!” depending on tone and region.
- The “hero” sense is archaic/literary. Don’t use it for a modern hero; use eroe instead.