Italian Phrase
Devo aprire la porta agli sconosciuti?
Meaning
The speaker is asking whether they should open the door for people they do not know. It can be a literal question about letting someone in, or a figurative one about trusting unknown individuals.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are unsure about letting strangers into your home, office, or any private space, or when discussing the broader idea of trusting unknown people in a conversation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Devoaprirelaportaaglisconosciuti?
Devo (modal verb)
‘Devo’ is the first person singular present of ‘dovere’, used to express obligation or a question about necessity.
Infinitive after modal
When a modal verb like ‘dovere’ is used, it is followed by an infinitive verb (here ‘aprire’).
Definite article ‘la’
‘La’ is the feminine singular definite article, agreeing with ‘porta’ (door).
Preposition ‘a’ + article ‘gli’ → ‘agli’
‘Agli’ is the contraction of ‘a’ + ‘gli’, used before masculine plural nouns like ‘sconosciuti’.
Plural noun ‘sconosciuti’
‘Sconosciuti’ is the masculine plural of ‘sconosciuto’, meaning ‘stranger(s)’.
Question intonation
The sentence ends with a question mark; intonation rises at the end when spoken.
🗨In Conversation
Devo aprire la porta agli sconosciuti?
Should I open the door to strangers?
Meglio chiudere a chiave, soprattutto se è tardi.
Better lock it, especially if it's late.
✕Common Mistakes
Deve aprire la porta agli sconosciuti?
‘Deve’ is third‑person singular; the speaker should use ‘Devo’ for first‑person.
Devo aprire la porta alla sconosciuti?
‘Alla’ is the contraction of ‘a’ + ‘la’, used for feminine singular; here we need the plural ‘agli’ because ‘sconosciuti’ is masculine plural.
Devo aprire la porta allo sconosciuto?
Using the singular ‘sconosciuto’ would refer to one stranger; the sentence asks about multiple strangers, so the plural ‘sconosciuti’ is required.
↔Alternatives
Posso aprire la porta a degli sconosciuti?
Can I open the door to some strangers?
È sicuro aprire la porta a persone che non conosciamo?
Is it safe to open the door to people we don't know?
Dovrei far entrare gli sconosciuti?
Should I let the strangers in?
Cultural Tip
In Italy, especially in smaller towns, people tend to be cautious about opening doors to unknown individuals. It’s common to ask a neighbor or call the police if you feel unsafe. In larger cities, apartment buildings often have intercom systems that let you verify who is at the door before opening.