Italian Phrase
In cosa devi migliorare?
Meaning
Literally 'In what do you have to improve?', this question asks the listener to point out the areas where they need to make progress. It’s often used in feedback sessions, self‑assessment, or coaching contexts.
When to use
Use it during performance reviews, language‑learning tutoring, or any situation where you’re encouraging someone to reflect on their weaknesses and set improvement goals.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Incosadevimigliorare?
In cosa
The preposition 'in' + interrogative pronoun 'cosa' forms the question 'in what', used to ask about the subject of improvement.
devi
Second‑person singular present of 'dovere', indicating obligation or necessity: 'you must/you need to'.
migliorare
Infinitive verb meaning 'to improve'. In this construction it follows the modal verb 'dovere' without 'to' in English.
🗨In Conversation
In cosa devi migliorare?
What do you need to improve?
Devo migliorare la mia pronuncia e la grammatica verbale.
I need to improve my pronunciation and verb grammar.
✕Common Mistakes
In che devi migliorare?
Use 'cosa' not 'che' after 'in' when forming this question.
Devi migliorare in cosa?
The correct word order places 'in cosa' before the verb.
Di cosa devi migliorare?
The preposition 'di' changes the meaning; stick with 'in cosa' for 'in what'.
↔Alternatives
Cosa devi migliorare?
What do you need to improve?
Su cosa devi concentrarti per migliorare?
What should you focus on to improve?
Quali aspetti devi migliorare?
Which aspects do you need to improve?
Cultural Tip
Italian speakers often soften direct criticism by prefacing it with 'in cosa' or 'su cosa', which sounds more collaborative than blunt. In formal settings, you might add 'per favore' or 'potresti indicarmi' to make the request even more courteous.