Italian Phrase
Per favore, firma il retro dell'assegno.
Meaning
A courteous request asking someone to sign the back side of a check. In Italian banking, the back of the check must be endorsed by the payee before it can be cashed or deposited.
When to use
Use this sentence when you hand a check to someone (a client, a supplier, or a friend) and need them to endorse it. It’s appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, as long as you keep the polite tone.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Perfavore,firmailretrodell'assegno.
Per favore
A polite expression meaning “please”. It can be placed at the beginning or end of a request.
Imperative (firma)
‘Firma’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb *firmare* (to sign).
Definite article + noun (il retro)
‘Il’ is the masculine singular article; ‘retro’ means ‘back’ or ‘reverse side’.
Elision (dell')
When *di* + *il* precedes a vowel, it contracts to *dell'* (of the).
Noun (assegno)
‘Assegno’ is a masculine noun meaning ‘check’ (bank draft).
🗨In Conversation
Per favore, firma il retro dell'assegno.
Please sign the back of the check.
Certo, lo faccio subito.
Sure, I’ll do it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Firma il retro del assegno.
Missing the elision; it should be *dell'* because *di* + *il* contracts before a vowel.
Per favore firma retro dell'assegno.
The article *il* before *retro* is required; otherwise the phrase sounds incomplete.
Per favore, firma il retro dell'assegno?
A request should end with a period or an exclamation, not a question mark, unless you intend a more tentative tone.
↔Alternatives
Per cortesia, firma il retro dell'assegno.
Kindly sign the back of the check.
Firma il retro del assegno, per favore.
Sign the back of the check, please.
Potresti firmare il retro dell'assegno?
Could you sign the back of the check?
Cultural Tip
In Italy, a check must be endorsed on its reverse side (the ‘retro’) before it can be processed. The endorsement usually includes the signature and sometimes the phrase “pagabile a vista”. Using ‘per favore’ or ‘per cortesia’ shows respect, especially in business transactions where formality is valued.