Meaning
missed, failed
- failed, unfulfilled
- missed, non-occurring
- would-be, frustrated
In a sentence
Il ritardo è dovuto al mancato arrivo della merce.
The delay is due to the non-arrival of the goods.
È stato un tentativo mancato, ma ci riprovo.
It was an unsuccessful attempt, but I'll try again.
È un attore mancato che ora insegna recitazione.
He is a failed actor who now teaches drama.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| mancato | masculine · singular |
| mancata | feminine · singular |
| mancati | masculine · plural |
| mancate | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- As an adjective, mancato agrees in gender and number: occasione mancata, occasioni mancate.
- Before a noun, it often means "would-be" or "failed": un poeta mancato = someone who never became a poet.
- Don't confuse it with perso in many contexts: treno mancato is uncommon; native speakers usually say ho perso il treno.