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PhrasesTravel ProblemsIl maltempo ha rovinato i miei piani.
B1

Il maltempo ha rovinato i miei piani.

The bad weather has ruined my plans.

Pronunciation

'Maltempo' — mal-TEM-po. 'Mal' (bad/ill) as a prefix + 'tempo' (weather/time). Stress on the second syllable.

When to use it

Say this when weather conditions have forced you to cancel or change your travel plans — useful when talking to a tour operator, hotel, or insurance about a force majeure situation.

What it means

'Maltempo' (bad weather) is a compound of 'mal' (bad) + 'tempo' (weather). 'Ha rovinato' is the passato prossimo of 'rovinare' (to ruin). 'I miei piani' (my plans) — 'piani' is the plural of 'piano' which here means plan, not floor. This ambiguity is resolved by context.

Variations

A causa del maltempo, ho dovuto cancellare.

Due to bad weather, I had to cancel.

'A causa di' (due to) is the formal reason phrase.

La gita è stata annullata per pioggia.

The excursion was cancelled due to rain.

Specific excursion cancellation.

Posso cambiare la data?

Can I change the date?

Request to reschedule due to weather.

Mini Dialogue

— Il maltempo ha rovinato i miei piani per il Vesuvio. — Possiamo rimandare al giorno dopo. — E se piove anche domani? — In quel caso, rimborso completo.

— The bad weather has ruined my plans for Vesuvius. — We can postpone to the next day. — And if it rains tomorrow too? — In that case, full refund.

Cultural Note

Southern Italian weather in autumn and spring can be unpredictable — the 'Tramontane' and 'Scirocco' winds bring sudden storms. Vesuvius and the Amalfi Coast trails close when conditions are dangerous. Always book weather-dependent activities with a flexible cancellation policy.