Meaning
trouble, mess
- trouble, problem, mess
- misfortune, hardship
In a sentence
Se perdi le chiavi, sono guai seri.
If you lose the keys, you're in serious trouble.
Che guaio hai combinato stavolta?
What mess did you make this time?
Ieri abbiamo avuto un guaio con la macchina.
Yesterday we had a problem with the car.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| guaio | masculine · singular |
| guai | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Very common in speech for everyday problems. Guasto is for broken machines; problema is more neutral and broad.
- In combinarsi nei guai, use the plural: guai. Singular guaio is common for one specific mess or trouble.
- Often used in warnings: guai a te/voi/se.... Here guai is fixed and usually stays plural.