Have trouble means to find something hard to do, to have difficulty with it. After trouble comes a verb with -ing (have trouble sleeping) or with and a noun (have trouble with grammar). Trouble here is uncountable, so it doesn't take a.
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have trouble + -ing; have trouble with + noun; have no trouble + -ing
- I had trouble finding the hotel because my phone battery died.
- Many students have trouble with phrasal verbs at first.
- Since I started working nights, I've had trouble sleeping.
What changed
First versionI have trouble to remember new words after a long day.
RevisionI have trouble remembering new words after a long day.
It's tempting to use to + verb here, as in it's hard to remember. But after have trouble the verb takes -ing: trouble remembering, trouble finding.
Be in trouble means to be facing punishment or problems, usually because of something you did yourself: If Mum sees this mess, we're in trouble. Have trouble is about difficulty, while in trouble is about punishment that's on its way.
Your turn
My grandad has trouble ___ small print, so he uses a magnifying glass.
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reading — After has trouble you need a verb with -ing, so reading. To read follows the pattern of it's hard to read, but it doesn't go with trouble.
Describe something you find difficult in English. Name the skill and one reason.
I have trouble understanding fast speakers because I rarely listen to podcasts in English.
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