Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| capisci? | addressee singular, informal |
| capito? | |
| intesi? | |
| capite? | |
| capisce? | addressee singular, formal |
These expressions are used to check if a listener has understood what you have said. All forms are derived from the Italian verb capire, which means "to understand".
Which one should you use?
capisci? is used to ask if one person understands in an informal way. In contrast, capisce? is the formal version used when addressing a single person who is a stranger or a superior. To address more than one person, use the plural form capite? The word intesi? is a more formal or specific way to ask if a group of people has understood a point or reached an agreement. Finally, capito? uses the past participle to ask if something has been understood, often serving as shorthand for Hai capito? (Have you understood?).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
capisci? is an informal way to ask "Got it?" and should be used with friends, family or people you know well. Use capisce? for formal situations when speaking to a single person you do not know well or who holds a superior position.
How does it change in a sentence?
capite? is the form used when you are addressing more than one person. capito? functions as a shorthand for the full phrase Hai capito?
Did you know?
- While capire means 'to understand', it shares a root with the English word 'capture', as both come from the Latin 'capere' meaning 'to take' or 'to seize'.
- In English-speaking pop culture, 'capisce' is often used to sound like a tough mobster, but using it this way in Italy might actually sound quite strange or even comical.
- In Italy, a slight nod of the head or a raised eyebrow often accompanies capito? to signal that the speaker is waiting for a confirmation of agreement, not just a translation of words.
Examples in context
- Capisce?Capisce?This example shows the use of capisce?Tatoeba #1539406 by Guybrush88, translation #6583778 by Eccles17
Example conversation
Francesco is explaining a rule to Chiara.
- FrancescoNon puoi usare il telefono qui, capisci?You can't use the phone here, understand?
- ChiaraSì, ho capito, scusa.Yes, I understand, sorry.
- FrancescoAllora riponilo subito in borsa.Then put it back in your bag immediately.
- ChiaraVa bene, lo faccio adesso.Alright, I'm doing it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “capisce” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
