Basket case

[Schrodinger's_Cat]

Basket case = caso disperato, disgraziato.

After his wife left him, Paul was a real basket case.
Dopo suo moglie lo lasciato (o se ne ha andato via), Paolo era un caso disperato

Is it correct?

 

[Paulfromitaly]

Basket case = caso disperato, disgraziato.

After his wife left him, Paul was a real basket case.
Dopo che suo moglie lo aveva lasciato (o se ne era andato via), Paolo era un caso disperato

Is it correct?

 

[Schrodinger's_Cat]

Thanks for correcting me. I'm planning to take a trip to Italy in December and visit some of relatives in Roma and Valenza Po. I need to improve my Italian as much as possible so I wouldn't walk around with phrase books and dictionary.

 

[neuromatico]

Dopo che sua moglie lo aveva lasciato (o se ne era andata via), Paolo era un caso disperato.

These slipped through the net.

 

[always]

to continue this thread... i have been searching for the original meaning of this expression and it seems to refer to soldiers that lost both arms and legs? so, my question is: isn't it really awful to use this expression to refer to people to say they are 'un caso disperato'? (in the sense of 'they are so bad they cannot be helped)
thanks!