Meaning
obstacle (something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress)
- hurdle (an artificial barrier, variously constructed, over which athletes or horses jump in a race)
- hurdles (a sport where athletes or animals run along a track obstructed by regularly placed hurdles that must be leapt over)
In a sentence
Il traffico è un ostacolo ogni mattina.
Traffic is an obstacle every morning.
Hai superato l'ultimo ostacolo della gara?
Did you clear the last hurdle of the race?
Non vedo ostacoli al nostro piano.
I don't see any obstacles to our plan.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| ostacolo | masculine · singular |
| ostacoli | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use ostacolo for both literal and figurative barriers. For a specific problem or issue, problema is often more natural.
- Common with superare or aggirare: superare un ostacolo, aggirare un ostacolo. Avoid direct calques like fare un ostacolo.
- In sports, ostacolo can mean a hurdle, but the event is usually ostacoli: corsa a ostacoli, 110 metri ostacoli.