Italian Phrase
È un grosso problema?
Meaning
Literally, “Is it a big problem?” The phrase asks whether a situation is serious or troublesome. ‘Grosso’ adds emphasis, implying the issue is more than just a minor inconvenience.
When to use
Use this question when you want to gauge the severity of an issue—whether it’s a work deadline, a personal dilemma, or a technical glitch. It works in both casual conversation and more formal settings, though in very formal contexts you might prefer ‘serio’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Èungrossoproblema?
Essere (è)
‘È’ is the third‑person singular present of the verb ‘essere’ (to be) and is used to link the subject with a description.
Indefinite article (un)
‘Un’ is the masculine singular indefinite article; it is used before masculine nouns that begin with a consonant.
Adjective agreement (grosso)
‘Grosso’ means ‘big/serious’ and must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies (masculine singular here).
Masculine noun ending in -a (problema)
Although it ends in -a, ‘problema’ is masculine; therefore it takes ‘un’ and adjectives in masculine form.
🗨In Conversation
Il progetto ha superato il budget di dieci percento.
The project has exceeded the budget by ten percent.
È un grosso problema?
Is that a big problem?
✕Common Mistakes
È una grosso problema?
‘Problema’ is masculine, so the correct article is ‘un’, not ‘una’.
È un grande problema?
‘Grande’ is also correct but conveys size rather than seriousness; learners often swap them without noticing the nuance.
E un grosso problema?
Do not omit the accent; ‘è’ (with accent) means ‘is’, while ‘e’ (without) means ‘and’.
↔Alternatives
È un problema?
Is it a problem?
È un problema serio?
Is it a serious problem?
È una questione importante?
Is it an important issue?
Cultural Tip
In Italian, ‘grosso’ can sound slightly informal; native speakers often use ‘serio’ in business or academic contexts. Also remember that many masculine nouns end in –a (e.g., ‘problema’, ‘dramma’), so the article and adjective must stay masculine.