Meaning
nightmare
In a sentence
Stanotte ho fatto un incubo terribile.
Last night I had a terrible nightmare.
Questo traffico è un incubo ogni mattina.
This traffic is a nightmare every morning.
Hai ancora quell'incubo da bambino?
Do you still have that nightmare from childhood?
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| incubo | masculine · singular |
| incubi | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use avere with it: Ho fatto un incubo is common in speech; Ho avuto un incubo is also correct and slightly more neutral.
- For a bad dream, incubo is stronger than brutto sogno; it suggests fear, panic, or something disturbing.
- Often used figuratively for stressful situations: Questo trasloco è un incubo. Very common in everyday speech.