Italian Phrase
Mostralo sul tuo telefono.
Meaning
‘Mostralo sul tuo telefono’ means ‘Show it on your phone.’ The speaker is asking the listener to display a specific item—usually a picture, video, map, QR code, or app—on the screen of their mobile device.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need someone to project something that is already on their phone for you to see, such as a photo you want to copy, a navigation route, or a QR code you need to scan. It works in informal or semi‑formal settings; add ‘per favore’ to make it more polite.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mostralosultuotelefono
Mostra (imperative)
‘Mostra’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘mostrare’ (to show).
lo (direct object pronoun)
‘lo’ replaces a masculine singular noun that has already been mentioned (e.g., ‘il video’, ‘il documento’).
sul (preposition + article)
‘sul’ is the contraction of ‘su’ + ‘il’, meaning ‘on the’. It is used before masculine singular nouns.
tuo (possessive adjective)
‘tuo’ agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies – here ‘telefono’ (masculine singular).
telefono (noun)
Standard Italian word for ‘phone’; in everyday speech Italians often say ‘cellulare’.
🗨In Conversation
Mostralo sul tuo telefono.
Show it on your phone.
Ecco, lo vedo subito.
Here it is, I can see it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Mostra lo sul tuo telefono.
In Italian the verb and the pronoun must be fused into one word: ‘mostralo’. A space creates a grammatical error.
Mostralo su il tuo telefono.
The preposition ‘su’ + article ‘il’ contracts to ‘sul’; writing them separately sounds unnatural.
Mostralo sul tu telefono.
‘tu’ is a subject pronoun, not a possessive. The correct possessive adjective is ‘tuo’.
↔Alternatives
Fallo vedere sul tuo cellulare.
Show it on your cell phone.
Mostramelo sul cellulare.
Show it to me on the cell phone.
Mostralo sul tuo smartphone.
Show it on your smartphone.
Cultural Tip
In Italy ‘telefono’ is perfectly correct, but in everyday conversation most people say ‘cellulare’ or ‘smartphone’, especially among younger speakers. The imperative ‘mostralo’ is informal; in a more formal context you could say ‘Mi mostri, per favore, quello sul suo telefono.’ Adding ‘per favore’ softens the request and is always appreciated.