Italian Phrase
Ho un sacco di cose da fare.
Meaning
Literally, ‘I have a sack of things to do’, which in everyday Italian means ‘I have a lot of things to do’. It conveys a sense of being busy or overloaded with tasks. The phrase is informal and often used in casual conversation among friends or colleagues.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to tell someone that your schedule is packed, whether you’re explaining why you can’t join an activity, or simply venting about a hectic day. It works best in spoken Italian or informal written messages like texts and social media.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Hounsaccodicosedafare
Avere (Ho)
‘Ho’ is the first‑person singular present of ‘avere’ (to have) and is used to express possession or obligations.
Un sacco di
An idiomatic quantifier meaning ‘a lot of / many’. It is informal and works with both countable and uncountable nouns.
Cose
Plural of ‘cosa’ (thing). In this expression it refers to tasks, errands, or any items on a to‑do list.
Da + infinitive
The construction ‘cose da fare’ uses ‘da’ + infinitive to indicate something that needs to be done.
🗨In Conversation
Ho un sacco di cose da fare oggi.
I have a lot of things to do today.
Capisco, ti va di prendere un caffè più tardi?
I understand, do you want to grab a coffee later?
✕Common Mistakes
Ho un sacco di cosa da fare.
‘Cosa’ is singular; the expression requires the plural ‘cose’ to match ‘un sacco di’.
Sono un sacco di cose da fare.
The verb ‘essere’ (sono) cannot replace ‘avere’ here; you need ‘ho’ to express possession.
Ho un sacco di cose da fare.
In very formal contexts, ‘un sacco di’ sounds too casual; use ‘molte’ instead.
↔Alternatives
Ho molte cose da fare.
I have many things to do.
Devo fare tante cose.
I have to do a lot of things.
Ho un sacco di impegni.
I have a lot of commitments.
Cultural Tip
‘Un sacco di’ is colloquial; in formal writing you’d prefer ‘molte’ or ‘numerose’. Also, Italians often use the phrase to justify being late or to politely decline an invitation, so tone matters – it can sound like a genuine excuse or a light‑hearted complaint depending on delivery.