Italian for Mediating Others' Disputes: 'Sentiamo entrambe le versioni'
Learn neutral Italian phrases to hear both sides of someone else's conflict, summarise each position fairly, and avoid taking part without sounding cold or evasive.
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When two other people are arguing, your job is different from resolving your own conflict: you are not a party, so your language must signal neutrality, not personal grievance. This lesson gives you Italian phrases to invite both versions, show you are listening to each side equally, and postpone judgement. You will practise the impersonal constructions, the dual forms entrambe/entrambi, and the careful use of 'non prendere posizione', which means refusing to side with anyone. Register here is standard contemporary Italian; where usage differs regionally, that is noted.
By the end, you can…
- invite two other people to present their versions of a dispute without implying blame
- summarise each side neutrally using impersonal and passive constructions
- say that I am not taking sides and propose a next step without resolving the conflict for them
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Sentiamo entrambe le versioni.
Let's hear both versions.
sen-TYAH-mo en-TRAM-beh leh ver-SYOH-neh
Use when two people are present and you want to slow the argument down. 'Entrambe' is feminine plural and agrees with 'versioni'; use 'entrambi' with a masculine plural noun, e.g. 'entrambi i racconti'.
Vorrei capire come stanno le cose da tutte e due le parti.
I'd like to understand how things stand from both sides.
vor-REH-ee ka-PEE-reh KOH-meh STAN-no leh KOH-zeh da TOOT-teh eh DOO-eh leh PAR-tee
'Tutte e due le parti' is a common alternative to 'entrambe le parti'. It is neutral and slightly more conversational.
Non prendo posizione, cerco solo di capire.
I'm not taking sides, I'm just trying to understand.
non PREN-do po-zee-TSYOH-neh, CHER-ko SOH-lo dee ka-PEE-reh
'Prendere posizione' means to take a stance. This sentence protects your neutrality when someone pressures you to agree.
Da quello che dici, il punto è...
From what you're saying, the point is...
da KWEL-lo keh DEE-chee, eel POON-toh eh
Use this to reflect one person's position back without endorsing it. Keep your voice level; a rising tone can sound like agreement.
Ho sentito la tua versione; ora ascolto anche la sua.
I've heard your version; now I'll listen to theirs too.
oh sen-TEE-toh lah TOO-ah ver-SYOH-neh; OH-rah as-KOL-toh AN-keh lah SOO-ah
Useful when one person has spoken for a long time. 'La sua' here is the polite third-person singular possessive ('her/his version'); it agrees with 'versione', not with the person.
Non sta a me decidere chi ha ragione.
It's not up to me to decide who is right.
non sta a meh deh-chee-DEH-reh kee ah rah-JOH-neh
The impersonal 'sta a me' avoids saying 'I refuse'. It is firm but not confrontational.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To stay neutral, Italian often uses impersonal or passive constructions instead of 'io penso'. Compare 'Secondo me hai torto' (In my opinion you're wrong), which takes a side, with 'Da questa versione risulta che...' (From this version it emerges that...). The second structure reports without endorsing. Other useful frames are 'Si dice che...' (It is said that...), 'Risulta che...' (It turns out that...), and 'Va verificato se...' (It needs to be checked whether...). These let you summarise a claim while keeping distance from it.
When to use it
Use these phrases when you are a third party, not a participant. If a colleague says 'Digli che ha sbagliato', you can answer 'Non sta a me decidere chi ha ragione; sentiamo entrambe le versioni.' If a friend wants you to confirm their version, 'Capisco il tuo punto, ma voglio sentire anche l'altra campana' works. 'L'altra campana' is idiomatic for the other side and is common in standard Italian, though it can sound slightly informal in very formal mediation settings.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Marco, prima di continuare, sentiamo entrambe le versioni. Raccontami tu cosa è successo.
Marco, before we continue, let's hear both versions. You tell me what happened.MAR-koh, PREE-mah dee kon-tee-NWAH-reh, sen-TYAH-mo en-TRAM-beh leh ver-SYOH-neh. rak-KON-ta-mee too koh-zah eh soot-CHEH-sohIo ho solo chiesto di spostare la riunione, e lei si è arrabbiata senza motivo.
I only asked to move the meeting, and she got angry for no reason.EE-oh oh SOH-loh KYEH-stoh dee spo-STAH-reh lah ree-oo-NYOH-neh, eh lay see eh ar-rab-BYAH-tah SEN-tsah moh-TEE-vohHo sentito la tua versione. Ora ascolto anche la sua, poi vediamo insieme. Non sta a me decidere chi ha ragione.
I've heard your version. Now I'll listen to hers too, then we'll look at it together. It's not up to me to decide who is right.oh sen-TEE-toh lah TOO-ah ver-SYOH-neh. OH-rah as-KOL-toh AN-keh lah SOO-ah, poy veh-DYAH-mo een-SYEH-meh. non sta a meh deh-chee-DEH-reh kee ah rah-JOH-nehVa bene, ma non prendere le sue parti.
All right, but don't take her side.vah BEH-neh, mah non PREN-deh-reh leh SOO-eh PAR-teeA little context goes a long way
In Italian workplace and family settings, direct disagreement is often expressed through tone and gesture rather than blunt words. A mediator who says 'Non prendo posizione' may still be expected to show warmth, for example by nodding and using 'capisco'. The idiom 'l'altra campana' is widely understood across Italy; in formal written Italian, prefer 'l'altra parte' or 'la controparte'.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Sono neutrale' as your main phrase, or 'Non mi interessa' to avoid taking sides.
Try this instead: 'Sono neutrale' can sound like a political declaration, and 'Non mi interessa' sounds dismissive. Say instead 'Non prendo posizione, cerco solo di capire' or 'Non sta a me decidere chi ha ragione'. These state your role without rejecting the people involved.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1A colleague asks you to tell their manager that the other team is wrong. Which phrase keeps you neutral?
Show a sample answer
Non sta a me decidere chi ha ragione; sentiamo entrambe le versioni.
This refuses the role of judge while proposing a fair process. 'Non prendo posizione' would also work, but the full sentence adds a constructive next step.
2You want to reflect one person's argument back without agreeing. Which frame fits?
Show a sample answer
Da quello che dici, il punto è...
This reports their position without endorsement. 'Secondo me' would take a side, and 'Hai ragione' would be direct agreement.
3Someone accuses you of favouring the other person. What can you say?
Show a sample answer
Ho sentito la tua versione; ora ascolto anche la sua.
This shows equal treatment in sequence. 'Non prendo le sue parti' is also valid, but the first answer demonstrates your method rather than just denying bias.
As a third party, your job is to hear both versions and name your role, not to decide who is right. Use impersonal frames like 'Da quello che dici...' and 'Non sta a me decidere' to stay fair without sounding cold.
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