Italian Phrase
Mostra che lo apprezzi e che sei professionale.
Meaning
The sentence is a polite directive telling someone to demonstrate that they value something (or someone) and that they behave in a professional manner. It combines a command with two subjunctive clauses that describe the desired attitude.
When to use
Use this phrase in a workplace or academic setting when you want to advise a colleague, employee, or student on how to present themselves—especially before a meeting, presentation, or written communication.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mostracheloapprezziecheseiprofessionale
Imperative Mood
"Mostra" is the second‑person singular imperative of "mostrare", used to give a direct command or suggestion.
Subjunctive after "che"
Both subordinate clauses introduced by "che" require the present subjunctive ("apprezzi", "sia") because they express a desired state rather than a factual statement.
Direct Object Pronoun
"lo" replaces a masculine singular noun (e.g., "il lavoro", "il progetto") and must agree in gender and number.
Copula "essere"
"sei" is the present indicative of "essere" and links the subject to the adjective "professionale".
Coordinating Conjunction "e"
"e" simply joins the two parallel clauses without changing their grammatical structure.
🗨In Conversation
Come posso fare una buona impressione al cliente?
How can I make a good impression on the client?
Mostra che lo apprezzi e che sei professionale.
Show that you appreciate it and that you are professional.
✕Common Mistakes
Mostri che lo apprezzi e che sei professionale.
The imperative for "tu" is "Mostra", not the present indicative "mostri".
Mostra che lo apprezzo e che sei professionale.
After "che" you need the subjunctive "apprezzi", not the indicative "apprezzo".
Mostra che lo apprezzi e che sei professionale.
If you keep the parallel structure, the second clause should also be in the subjunctive: "sia professionale".
↔Alternatives
Dimostra che lo apprezzi e che sei professionale.
Demonstrate that you appreciate it and that you are professional.
Fai vedere che lo apprezzi e che sei professionale.
Make it clear that you appreciate it and that you are professional.
Cultural Tip
In Italian business culture, overt appreciation ("apprezzare") and a calm, competent demeanor are seen as signs of respect and reliability. Using the imperative "Mostra" is acceptable when speaking to a peer or a subordinate, but with a senior manager you might soften it with "Le consiglierei di mostrare..." to keep the register polite.