Complete Guide to "Triste per la notizia": How and When to Use It

"Triste per la notizia" is a very common Italian expression used to describe the feeling of sadness connected to a specific piece of information. Learning Italian means mastering these emotional nuances. Have you ever received unexpected news that left you feeling melancholy? This phrase helps you express exactly that. In this complete guide, we’ll explore the meaning, grammar, and practical use of "triste per la notizia" to help you speak like a native speaker.

Triste per la notizia: Common expression in Italian

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What does “Triste per la notizia” mean?

  • Triste: An adjective that indicates a state of melancholy, sadness or unhappiness. It derives from the Latin tristis.
  • Per: A preposition that in this context indicates the cause or reason for the feeling.
  • Notizia: Some information, new information or newly acquired fact. It can be either positive or negative, but in this expression, it refers to something causing sadness.
  • Overall meaning: Being afflicted or saddened due to a specific piece of information or event. The expression directly links the feeling of sadness to a clear and defined external cause: the news.

The Grammar Behind the Phrase: Rules and Common Mistakes

  • Agreement of the adjective: "Triste" is an adjective that does not change for gender, but changes for number.
    • Singular: Io sono triste.Lui è triste.Lei è triste.
    • Plural: Noi siamo tristi.Loro sono tristi.
    • Example: "Anna è triste per la notizia." "I ragazzi sono tristi per le notizie."
  • Use of the preposition "per": The preposition "per" is mandatory in this construction. It indicates the cause or reason for the sadness. As indicated by Treccani, "per" can introduce the cause or reason for an action or a state of mind, just like in "triste per la notizia".
    • Correct: "Sono triste per la notizia."
    • Incorrect: "Sono triste della notizia." ("Di" in this context is a common mistake among students, since "di" can indicate ownership or topic, but not cause in this specific structure).
  • News in singular or plural: The expression is used with both "la notizia" (singular) and "le notizie" (plural), depending on whether referring to one fact or more pieces of information.
    • Example: "Sono triste per la notizia della sua partenza."
    • Example: "Siamo tristi per le notizie che arrivano dal fronte."
  • Substituting "notizia": "Notizia" can be substituted with other words or phrases that indicate the cause of the sadness, such as "l'esito", "il risultato", "quello che è successo".
    • Example: "Sono triste per il risultato della partita."

Real-Life Examples with “Triste per la notizia”

  • Dialogue 1: A bad exam outcome

    Person A: "Marco, how do you feel about your math exam?" Person B: "Sono triste per la notizia del mio voto. Speravo di fare molto meglio."

  • Dialogue 2: A friend in difficulty

    Person A: "Did you hear about Luca? He lost his job?" Person B: "Sì, ho appena saputo. Sono davvero triste per la notizia."

  • Dialogue 3: A cancelled event

    Person A: "So, the Christmas party was cancelled?" Person B: "Purtroppo sì. Siamo tutti tristi per la notizia dell'annullamento."

  • Dialogue 4: Someone is leaving

    Person A: "When is your sister moving abroad?" Person B: "La settimana prossima. Sono triste per la notizia della sua partenza, mi mancherà molto."

Related Words and Expressions

Related ExpressionBrief MeaningExample in Italian
Dispiaciuto perTo feel sorry or regretful about something."Sono dispiaciuto per quello che è successo."
Addolorato perTo feel great pain or sorrow for a serious event."Era addolorato per la perdita del suo caro."
Sconvolto daTo be deeply upset or shocked by something."Sono rimasto sconvolto dalla gravità dell'incidente."
Amareggiato perTo feel disappointed or frustrated about something."Si è sentito amareggiato per il mancato riconoscimento."

Conclusion

We have explored in detail the expression "triste per la notizia", understanding its meaning and grammatical rules. Using it correctly allows you to express your emotions more authentically and precisely. Now you are ready to integrate this phrase into your daily vocabulary.

What is some news that has made you sad recently? Share your sentence in the comments using "triste per la notizia"!