Sei sicuro?
/ˈsɛj siˈku.ro/word by word
The English phrase "are you sure?" is translated into Italian as Sei sicuro?
The phrase is a question used to ask if someone is certain about something.
Which one should you use?
The default form Sei sicuro? is used when the person you are addressing is a man. If you are asking a woman if she is sure, you must use the feminine form Sei sicura? To ask a group of people if they are sure, use the plural form Siete sicuri?
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes based on the gender and number of the person being addressed: use Sei sicura? for a single female and Siete sicuri? for a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsɛj siˈku.ro/
When do people say it?
A common way to respond to the question Sei sicuro? is Sì, ne sono sicuro, which means "Yes, I am sure (of it)."
Did you know?
- The word sicuro can also mean 'safe' in Italian. Depending on the context, Sei sicuro? could be asking if someone is certain or if they are currently out of danger.
- The Latin root of sicuro actually implies a state of being 'free from care' or 'free from anxiety', suggesting that being sure is a state of mental peace.
- To emphasize extreme doubt, an Italian might say Ma sei sicuro, eh? The addition of the particle eh at the end signals a skeptical tone that the English phrase 'Are you sure?' lacks on its own.
Examples in context
- Non ci credo, sei sicuro?I don't believe it, are you sure?
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are checking the time before a movie.
- MartinaIl film inizia alle otto, vero?The movie starts at eight, right?
- AlessandroSì, sono certo.Yes, I am certain.
- MartinaSei sicuro? Mi sembra molto presto.Are you sure? It seems very early to me.
- AlessandroSì, ho controllato il biglietto.Yes, I checked the ticket.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sei, sicuro) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sei, sicuro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
