Italian Phrase
Puoi spiegarmelo più nel dettaglio?
Meaning
Literally, ‘Can you explain it to me more in the detail?’, this sentence politely asks the listener to give a clearer, more thorough explanation of something that has just been mentioned.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need clarification in a conversation, a meeting, a classroom, or while reading a text. It works both in informal settings with friends and in semi‑formal contexts such as work or study, as long as you keep the tone courteous.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Puoispiegarmelopiùneldettaglio?
Puoi (modal verb)
‘Puoi’ is the second‑person singular present of ‘potere’, used to ask someone if they are able to do something.
spiegarmelo (verb + clitic pronouns)
‘spiegare’ + indirect object ‘mi’ (to me) + direct object ‘lo’ (it) contracts to ‘spiegarmelo’, a common clitic cluster in Italian.
più (comparative adverb)
‘più’ means ‘more’ and is used here to intensify the request for a higher level of detail.
nel dettaglio (prepositional phrase)
‘nel’ = ‘in the’; ‘dettaglio’ = ‘detail’. Together they form the idiomatic expression ‘nel dettaglio’ meaning ‘in detail’.
🗨In Conversation
Puoi spiegarmelo più nel dettaglio?
Can you explain it to me in more detail?
Certo, ti dico che il progetto prevede tre fasi: pianificazione, sviluppo e test.
Sure, I’ll tell you that the project involves three phases: planning, development, and testing.
✕Common Mistakes
Puoi spiegare più nel dettaglio?
The verb needs the clitic pronouns; ‘spiegare’ alone leaves out who you’re explaining to and what you’re explaining.
Puoi spiegarmelo nel più dettaglio?
‘Più’ should directly modify the verb phrase; placing it after the pronoun cluster sounds unnatural.
Puoi spiegarmelo più dettagliato?
‘Dettagliato’ is an adjective; the idiomatic expression is ‘nel dettaglio’ (in detail).
↔Alternatives
Potresti spiegarmelo più approfonditamente?
Could you explain it to me more thoroughly?
Mi potresti dare più informazioni?
Could you give me more information?
Puoi chiarire meglio questo punto?
Can you clarify this point better?
Cultural Tip
In Italian, using ‘puoi’ is perfectly polite among peers, but in a very formal environment you might prefer ‘potrebbe’ (third‑person conditional) to show extra respect. Also, Italians appreciate a brief ‘per favore’ before the request, e.g., ‘Per favore, puoi spiegarmelo più nel dettaglio?’