Italian Phrase
I raccolti stanno andando male.
Meaning
The sentence states that the harvests are performing poorly, often because of bad weather, pests, or other adverse conditions. It conveys a current, ongoing problem rather than a permanent state.
When to use
Use this phrase when talking about agricultural reports, farm updates, or any situation where you need to describe a negative trend in crop yields. It works in both informal conversation with a farmer and in more formal news or academic contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Iraccoltistannoandandomale
Definite article (I)
Plural masculine definite article used before a masculine plural noun.
Noun (raccolti)
Masculine plural noun meaning “harvests” or “crops”.
Stare (stanno)
Third‑person plural present of “stare”, used as the auxiliary for the progressive tense.
Gerund (andando)
Gerund form of “andare” (to go), combined with “stare” to express an ongoing action.
Adverb (male)
Adverb meaning “badly”, placed after the verb phrase to qualify the manner.
🗨In Conversation
I raccolti stanno andando male quest'anno.
The crops are doing badly this year.
Sì, la siccità ha rovinato gran parte del raccolto.
Yes, the drought has ruined much of the harvest.
✕Common Mistakes
I raccolti sono andando male.
Use “stanno” (stare + gerund) for the progressive; “sono” would make it a static state.
I raccolti stanno andando mal.
The correct adverb is “male”; “mal” is a colloquial contraction that is not standard in this context.
Le raccolti stanno andando male.
“Raccolti” is masculine, so the article must be “I”.
↔Alternatives
I raccolti vanno male.
The crops are going badly.
Le colture stanno andando male.
The crops are doing badly.
I raccolti non vanno bene.
The crops aren't doing well.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, the word “raccolto” often refers to the result of a specific season (e.g., il raccolto di grano). In northern regions you’ll hear “coltura” for the planted crop itself, while “raccolto” is the yield. When speaking to older farmers, keep a neutral‑formal tone; younger speakers may shorten the phrase to “I raccolti vanno male.”