Suggesting, proposing, advising and recommending - Actions affecting ourselves and others - Functions - A Practical Guide - Modern Italian Grammar

Modern Italian Grammar: A Practical Guide, Third Edition (2013)

Part B. Functions

II. Actions affecting ourselves and others

24. Suggesting, proposing, advising and recommending

24.1 Giving advice

24.1.1 Introduction

There are lots of ways of giving advice, some formal, some informal. Advice can range from encouragement or a recommendation to a firm order or stern warning. Here we look at some ways of expressing these functions in Italian.

One of the most common ways to give advice in Italian is to use a suitable verb with a direct or indirect object (the person or people advised) and a preposition (a, di) to link the verb to a verb infinitive. Verbs that can be used in this way include: consigliare, raccomandare and raccomandarsi (see 24.1.24 below). Dire can sometimes be used to give advice, though less specific in meaning (see 24.4.1 below).

24.1.2 Consigliare

With di and a verb infinitive

In the act of advising or recommending, there are usually two people involved: the person giving advice and the person receiving it. Consigliare (‘to advise, to recommend’) can be used with an indirect object indicating the person receiving the advice (agli italiani) and linked by di to the verb infinitive (di lasciare). (See Appendix IV.)

Gli addetti consolari consigliavano agli italiani di lasciare il paese al più presto possibile.

The consular officials were advising Italians to leave the country as soon as possible.

Sometimes the person receiving advice is represented by a pronoun, normally an unstressed indirect object pronoun such as mi, ti, gli (see 3.4.2):

Gli addetti consolari gli consigliavano di lasciare il paese al più presto.

The consular officials were advising them to leave the country as soon as possible.

Mia madre mi ha consigliato di studiare lingue.

My mother advised me to study languages.

Occasionally there might be a reason to emphasise the person who is receiving the advice, or to contrast him or her with another person; in this case the emphatic stressed forms of indirect object pronouns a me, a te, a lui, etc. (see 3.3.2) are used:

Mia madre ha consigliato a me di studiare lingue, ma a mio fratello di studiare medicina.

My mother advised me to study languages but (advised) my brother to study medicine.

With a noun

Consigliare can also be used with a noun as direct object (the thing which is being advised or recommended):

Mi può consigliare un buon ristorante?

Can you recommend (to me) a good restaurant?

I nostri avvocati hanno consigliato la massima cautela.

Our lawyers advised the utmost caution.

With che and subjunctive

Consigliare can also be followed by che + subjunctive (see 2.2.15):

I professori consigliano che gli studenti controllino le fonti prima di citarli. (present subjunctive)

The lecturers recommend that the students check their sources before quoting them.

24.1.3 Raccomandare

With di and a verb infinitive

Raccomandare is almost synonymous with consigliare (see 24.1.2 above) and can be used in a similar way, i.e. with a person or personal pronoun as indirect object (mi) and followed by a verb infinitive (andare) linked by di:

Mi ha raccomandato di andare a parlare con il contabile.

He advised me to go and speak to the accountant.

With a noun

Like consigliare, it can also be used with a person as indirect object (gli) and a noun as direct object (prudenza) as below:

Gli hanno raccomandato prudenza.

They advised him to be prudent.

With che and subjunctive

La consulente ha raccomandato che il direttore si informasse sul mercato prima di lanciare il nuovo prodotto. (imperfect subjunctive)

The consultant recommended that the director find out about the market before launching the new product.

24.1.4 Using raccomandarsi

Raccomandarsi is difficult to translate. Used by the parents of toddlers and teenagers throughout Italy, it means something like ‘I'm warning you’ or ‘Listen to me’. It is used mainly in two ways.

Standing on its own

Used on its own, raccomandarsi is often found alongside an imperative:

Mi raccomando, non fate tardi!
Listen to me, don't be late!

With di and a verb infinitive

Si è raccomandato di fare attenzione.
He warned (them) to be careful.

Note: This verb should not be confused with the phrase dare/fare una raccomandazione which has come to mean ‘recommending someone for a job’.

24.2 Making a suggestion

Verbs used to make a suggestion include suggerire (see 24.2.1) and proporre (see 24.2.2).

24.2.1 Suggerire

With di and a verb infinitive

The verb suggerire can be used in a similar construction to consigliare (see 24.1.2). The person making the suggestion is normally the grammatical subject of the verb suggerire, the person receiving it is the indirect object(preceded if necessary by a), while the suggestion being given is in the infinitive, linked by di:

Le compagnie aeree suggeriscono ai passeggeri di non portare troppi bagagli a mano.

The airlines suggest to passengers that they should not bring too much hand luggage.

Here the indirect object is expressed by an indirect pronoun (ci):

L'impiegata ci ha suggerito di prenotare subito il traghetto per la Sardegna, perché non c'erano tanti posti disponibili.

The sales assistant suggested we should book the ferry for Sardinia straightaway because there weren't so many places left.

With che and the subjunctive

Like consigliare and raccomandare, suggerire can also be used with che + subjunctive (see 2.2.15):

Suggeriamo che i cani siano identificati tramite un microcip.

We suggest that dogs should be identified by a microchip.

24.2.2 Proporre

The verb proporre ‘to propose’, ‘to suggest’ can be used with two possible constructions, in the same way as consigliare, raccomandare, suggerire.

With di and a verb infinitive

You can use proporre with a verb infinitive linked by di, with the person receiving the proposal as an indirect object. Generally this construction is used when the person proposing is himself part of the action and proposing that he/she and others do something together:

Antonio mi ha proposto di fare una passeggiata lungo il fiume.

Antonio suggested (to me) taking a walk along the river.

Vorrei proporre agli azionisti di accettare l'offerta.

I would like to suggest to the shareholders that they accept the offer.

With che and subjunctive

Generally this construction is used when there is someone or something (l'ufficio) other than the proposer and the person receiving the proposal:

Propongo che l'ufficio rimanga chiuso per due giorni prima dell'ispezione.

I propose that the office stays closed for two days before the inspection.

24.3 Choices

24.3.1 Di and infinitive or che and subjunctive?

Whichever verb is used, deciding which of these constructions to use is often a question of register. So long as there are only two parties involved (the person advising and the person being advised) the che and subjunctive construction can always be replaced by di and the infinitive, with the person advised as indirect object. In fact in informal spoken or written Italian, the simpler construction is always preferred:

Formal:

I professori consigliano che gli studenti controllino le fonti prima di citarli.

Informal:

I professori consigliano agli studenti di controllare le fonti prima di citarli.

24.3.2 Stressed or unstressed pronoun?

The people receiving the suggestion or advice, whatever verb is used, are often represented by indirect object pronouns, which have two different forms.

Unstressed forms mi, ti, gli, etc. (see 3.4.2):

Il suo capo le ha suggerito di fare una breve pausa.

Her boss suggested she take a short break.

Stressed (emphatic) forms a me, a te, a lui, etc. (see 3.3.2):

Il capo ha suggerito a lei di fare una breve pausa, ma ha detto agli altri di continuare a lavorare.

The boss told her to have a short break but he told the others to carry on working.

24.4 More expressions of advising or suggesting

24.4.1 Dire

The verb dire ‘to say’ can sometimes be used to give advice or make a suggestion. It is most commonly used in the present conditional form direi etc. (see 2.2.12) followed either by di and the infinitive or by che and the subjunctive:

Ti direi di portare l'impermeabile.
I would say (to you) to take a raincoat.

Direi che sia meglio rinviare a domani.
I would say that it is better to postpone until tomorrow.

Direi che Giovanni debba impegnarsi di piùu.
I would say that Giovanni needs to show more commitment.

24.4.2 Dare indicazioni, dare informazioni, dare suggerimenti

The expression dare un'indicazione means to give advice or information, usually on one particular thing; un'indicazione is just one piece of advice, whereas delle indicazioni and qualche indicazione mean advice in general. The same applies to dare informazioni and dare un'informazione.

Vorrei trovare un albergo vicino al centro. Mi può dare qualche indicazione?
I would like to find a hotel near the centre. Can you give me some suggestions?

Il mio collega mi ha dato delle indicazioni per il congresso.
My colleague gave me some suggestions for the conference.

Almost synonymous are dare suggerimenti / un suggerimento and dare consigli / un consiglio:

Mi daresti un consiglio per arredare questa stanza?
Would you give me advice for furnishing this room?

24.4.3 Fare una proposta

The phrase fare una proposta, depending on the context, can mean a business proposition or similar. Occasionally, however, it can also mean a proposal of an unwanted kind:

L'azienda aveva delle difficoltà economiche, e il direttore ha fatto una proposta di riorganizzazione finanziaria all'assemblea generale.

The company had some economic difficulties and the director made a proposal for financial reorganisation at the general meeting.

Preferirei non stare nello stesso albergo di Marco. L'altra volta mi ha fatto una proposta.

I would prefer not to stay in the same hotel as Marco. The last time he propositioned me.

24.4.4 Stressing a personal point of view

In spoken Italian, advice is often preceded by the expression Se (io) fossi in te (‘If I were you …’):Se io fossi in te, farei la domanda per aver quel posto a Milano.If I were you, I would apply for that post in Milan.

The same thing can be expressed more plainly and less emphatically:

Per me, è pericoloso.

(If you want to know what I think) it's dangerous.

Secondo te, non dovrei chiedere un aumento di stipendio?

In your opinion, shouldn't I ask for a rise?

► See also 27.1.5.

24.4.5 Other ways of making suggestions

To propose or suggest something for yourself and others you can use perché non?

Perché non facciamo una gita in montagna?

Why don't we have a trip to the mountains?

Or an imperative verb form:

Vieni a prendere un caffè a casa mia!

Come and have a coffee at my house!

24.5 Advising someone not to do something, giving a warning

When advising someone not to do something, use avvertire. With this verb, the person being warned or advised is the direct object:

Il portiere mi ha avvertito che l'acqua non è potabile.

The porter warned me that the water is not drinkable.

La maestra dovrebbe avvertire i ragazzi che domani non c'è scuola.

The teacher should warn the children that tomorrow there is no school.

When warning people to be careful, use stare attento or one of the other expressions below:

Gli operai dicono al pubblico di stare attenti a non cadere.

The workmen are telling the public to be careful not to fall.


NOTE In the example above, the adjective is plural (attenti) because il pubblico is a collective noun which refers to more than one person (see 1.2.3).


24.5.1 Attenzione!

Attenzione a non bruciare la cravatta con la candela.

Watch you don't burn your tie on the candle.

24.5.2 Fare attenzione

Faccia attenzione al semaforo.

Look out for the traffic light.

24.5.3 Stare attento

State attenti a non cadere.

Be careful you don't fall.

24.6 Asking for advice

All the verbs seen above (consigliare, raccomandare, proporre, suggerire) can also be used to ask for advice:

Cosa mi consiglia di fare?

What do you advise me to do?

Other ways of asking for advice include:

Cosa faccio?

What shall I do? (Literally: What do I do?)

Cosa devo fare?

What shall I do? (Literally: What must I do?)

Secondo te, cosa dovrei fare?

In your opinion, what should I do?