Meaning
anxiety, apprehension
- eagerness
In a sentence
Ho un po' di ansia per l'esame di domani.
I’m a bit anxious about tomorrow’s exam.
Perché hai tutta quest'ansia di partire subito?
Why are you so anxious to leave right away?
Non mettermi ansia, arrivo tra cinque minuti.
Don’t make me anxious, I’ll be there in five minutes.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| ansia | feminine · singular |
| ansie | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- For clinical or strong anxiety, ansia is natural; for temporary worry about a problem, preoccupazione is often better.
- Ho ansia is common in speech, but avere l'ansia sounds more idiomatic for a general anxious state.
- Used informally for excitement too: Ho l'ansia di partire can mean eager anticipation, not only nervousness.