Italian Phrase
È un grande compito.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘It’s a big task.’ It can refer to a challenging assignment, a large amount of work, or something that requires considerable effort.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to comment on the difficulty or size of a project, homework, or any responsibility that feels substantial. It works in both formal and informal contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Èungrandecompito
Essere (è)
‘È’ is the third‑person singular present of the verb ‘essere’ (to be) and is used to link the subject with a noun or adjective.
Indefinite article (un)
‘Un’ is the masculine singular indefinite article used before a consonant‑starting noun.
Adjective placement (grande)
In Italian most adjectives follow the noun, but ‘grande’ can precede the noun to stress size or importance.
Noun gender (compito)
‘Compito’ is a masculine singular noun meaning ‘task, assignment, homework.’
🗨In Conversation
È un grande compito.
It’s a big task.
Sì, ma possiamo farlo insieme.
Yes, but we can do it together.
✕Common Mistakes
È una grande compito.
‘Compito’ is masculine, so the article must be ‘un’, not ‘una’.
È un grande compiti.
The sentence is singular; use ‘compito’, not the plural ‘compiti’.
È un compito grande.
Placing the adjective after the noun changes nuance; ‘un compito grande’ sounds less natural here.
↔Alternatives
È un compito impegnativo.
It’s a demanding task.
È un compito difficile.
It’s a difficult task.
È un compito importante.
It’s an important task.
Cultural Tip
In Italy ‘compito’ is often used for school homework, but it also covers any job or duty. Adding ‘grande’ before the noun emphasizes magnitude rather than physical size, a nuance that can differ from English where adjectives usually follow the noun.