Italian for Elementary Learners: Asking for Advice with Cosa dovrei fare? and Hai qualche suggerimento?
Learn to ask for advice in Italian using cosa dovrei fare?, che cosa mi consigli?, and hai qualche suggerimento?, with a short dialogue and practice.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When you have a problem in Italian, you often need to ask another person for advice rather than give it. This lesson teaches elementary-level questions for seeking advice: Cosa dovrei fare? (What should I do?), Che cosa mi consigli? (What do you recommend to me?), and Hai qualche suggerimento? (Do you have any suggestions?). You will also learn how to describe a problem briefly before asking, for example Ho perso le chiavi (I lost my keys). The focus is on asking, not on giving advice, so you will practice question forms and polite ways to invite another person's opinion.
By the end, you can…
- describe a simple problem in Italian and ask what I should do.
- ask for suggestions using common informal and polite questions.
- understand and respond to someone who asks me for advice.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Cosa dovrei fare?
What should I do?
KOH-zah doh-VREH-ee FAH-reh
Standard question for asking what action to take. Dovrei is the conditional of dovere and softens the question.
Che cosa mi consigli?
What do you recommend to me?
keh KOH-zah mee kon-SEE-lyee
Use with one person you address as tu. Consigli is the familiar singular form of consigliare.
Hai qualche suggerimento?
Do you have any suggestions?
eye KWAL-keh sood-jee-ree-MEN-toh
Friendly and common. Qualche is always followed by a singular noun, so suggerimento stays singular.
Ho perso le chiavi. Cosa dovrei fare?
I lost my keys. What should I do?
oh PEHR-soh leh KYAH-vee. KOH-zah doh-VREH-ee FAH-reh
A useful model: state the problem, then ask for advice. Ho perso is the passato prossimo of perdere.
Mi puoi dare un consiglio?
Can you give me some advice?
mee PWOH-ee DAH-reh oon kon-SEE-lyoh
Polite and direct. Use Mi può dare un consiglio? when speaking formally to one person.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A simple pattern for asking advice is: problem + question. First say what happened, then ask Cosa dovrei fare? For example: Ho perso il treno. Cosa dovrei fare? (I missed the train. What should I do?) or Non capisco questa frase. Cosa dovrei fare? (I don't understand this sentence. What should I do?). You can also use Che cosa mi consigli? after describing the problem: Ho mal di testa. Che cosa mi consigli? (I have a headache. What do you recommend?) The verb consigliare works like other -are verbs: consiglio, consigli, consiglia, consigliamo, consigliate, consigliano.
When to use it
Use Cosa dovrei fare? when you want a practical next step. Use Hai qualche suggerimento? when you want one or more ideas and you are speaking informally to one person. Use Mi puoi dare un consiglio? when you want to ask directly for advice. In formal situations, use the Lei forms: Mi può dare un consiglio? (Can you give me advice?) and Che cosa mi consiglia? (What do you recommend?). In many regions of Italy, speakers also use the simple question Come faccio? (How do I do it? / What can I do?) in everyday conversation, especially in central and southern Italy. It is informal and common, but Cosa dovrei fare? is a safe standard choice.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ho perso le chiavi di casa. Cosa dovrei fare?
I lost my house keys. What should I do?oh PEHR-soh leh KYAH-vee dee KAH-zah. KOH-zah doh-VREH-ee FAH-rehHai guardato nella borsa?
Did you look in your bag?eye gwar-DAH-toh NEHL-lah BOHR-sahSì, ma non ci sono. Hai qualche suggerimento?
Yes, but they aren't there. Do you have any suggestions?see, mah non chee SOH-noh. eye KWAL-keh sood-jee-ree-MEN-tohPuoi chiedere al portiere. Lui ha una chiave di riserva.
You can ask the doorman. He has a spare key.PWOH-ee KYEH-deh-reh ahl por-TYEH-reh. LOO-ee ah OO-nah KYAH-veh dee ree-ZEHR-vahA little context goes a long way
In Italian, direct questions like Cosa dovrei fare? are normal among friends and family. With strangers, older people, or in shops and offices, use the Lei form: Mi può dare un consiglio? or Che cosa mi consiglia? Using tu with someone you do not know can sound too familiar, especially in formal or professional contexts.
One thing to watch for
Using Cosa devo fare? when you want a softer request for advice.
Try this instead: Cosa devo fare? means What do I have to do? and often asks about an obligation or a fixed procedure. For advice, use the conditional: Cosa dovrei fare? For example, Ho perso le chiavi. Cosa dovrei fare? sounds like you are asking for a suggestion, while Cosa devo fare? can sound like you are asking for an official instruction.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask a friend, 'I lost my keys. What should I do?' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Ho perso le chiavi. Cosa dovrei fare?
This uses Ho perso for I lost and Cosa dovrei fare? for What should I do? You can also say Ho perso le chiavi. Che cosa mi consigli? with a similar meaning.
2Which form would you use to ask a stranger politely for advice?
Show a sample answer
Mi può dare un consiglio?
This uses the formal Lei form può. Mi puoi dare un consiglio? is also correct, but it is informal and used with someone you address as tu.
3Complete the question: Hai qualche ____?
Show a sample answer
suggerimento
Qualche is followed by a singular noun, so the correct form is suggerimento, not suggerimenti. Hai qualche suggerimento? means Do you have any suggestions?
To ask for advice in Italian, describe the problem first, then use Cosa dovrei fare? or Hai qualche suggerimento? Use the Lei forms with people you do not know well.
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