Italian Phrase
Certo, mettilo sulla bilancia.
Meaning
The speaker is confirming a request and telling the listener to place something (the “it” referred to earlier) on the weighing scale. It’s a polite, yet direct, way to give a short instruction.
When to use
Use this phrase in a kitchen, laboratory, or any setting where you need to weigh an ingredient or object and you want to acknowledge the request before giving the instruction.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Certo,mettilosullabilancia.
Certo (adverb)
Used to express agreement or certainty, similar to “sure” or “of course” in English.
Imperative + clitic pronoun
In the affirmative imperative, direct object pronouns attach to the verb with a hyphen, and the verb may double its final consonant (metti → metti‑lo).
Preposition contraction (su + la)
The preposition “su” (on) contracts with the feminine singular article “la” to form “sulla”.
Bilancia (noun)
A feminine noun meaning “scale” (for weighing).
🗨In Conversation
Puoi pesare la farina, per favore?
Can you weigh the flour, please?
Certo, mettilo sulla bilancia.
Sure, put it on the scale.
✕Common Mistakes
Certo, metti lo sulla bilancia.
In the affirmative imperative the pronoun must be attached to the verb with a hyphen.
Certo, mettilo sul la bilancia.
The preposition “su” contracts with the article “la” to form “sulla”.
Certa, mettilo sulla bilancia.
“Certo” is invariable; it does not change gender.
↔Alternatives
Va bene, posizionalo sulla bilancia.
Alright, place it on the scale.
Sì, metti quello sulla bilancia.
Yes, put that on the scale.
Certo, sistemalo sulla bilancia.
Sure, set it on the scale.
Cultural Tip
In Italian cooking, weighing ingredients on a bilancia is common for precise recipes, especially in professional kitchens. Adding “Certo” softens the command, making it sound friendly rather than abrupt. Remember that the clitic pronoun must stay attached to the verb in the imperative; separating it (e.g., “metti lo”) sounds ungrammatical.