Italian Phrase
Sì, fallo, per favore.
Meaning
This phrase is used to give someone permission or to encourage them to proceed with a specific action. It combines the affirmative 'sì' with the imperative form of 'fare' and the direct object pronoun 'lo'. The addition of 'per favore' ensures the tone remains polite rather than bossy.
When to use
Use this in response to someone asking for permission to perform an action or when you want someone to finish a task. It is common in both workplace environments and casual daily interactions.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Sìfalloper favore
Imperative + Pronoun
In Italian, pronouns are attached to the end of positive imperative verbs. For 'fare', the truncated form 'fa' plus 'lo' becomes 'fallo' due to syntactic doubling.
Sì vs Si
The accent on 'Sì' (yes) is mandatory to distinguish it from the reflexive pronoun 'si' (himself/herself/itself).
🗨In Conversation
Posso chiamare il cliente adesso?
Can I call the client now?
Sì, fallo, per favore.
Yes, do it, please.
✕Common Mistakes
Sì, fa lo, per favore.
When attaching a pronoun to short imperative forms like 'fa', you must double the consonant of the pronoun, resulting in 'fallo'.
Sì, fagli, per favore.
'Lo' refers to 'it' (the action), whereas 'gli' refers to 'to him'; use 'lo' when referring to a task.
↔Alternatives
Sì, fallo pure.
Yes, go ahead and do it.
Certo, fai pure.
Sure, go ahead.
Cultural Tip
Italians value politeness in requests, so 'per favore' is a staple in daily conversation to soften commands. Adding the word 'pure' after an imperative is a very common way to signal that the other person has your full permission and should not hesitate.