Italian Phrase
Cosa dovrei evitare?
Meaning
Literally, “What should I avoid?” The speaker is asking for advice about actions, foods, or situations that might be harmful, inappropriate, or undesirable in a given context.
When to use
Use this question when you are new to a place, a job, a diet, or a social setting and want to learn the local dos and don’ts. It works well in both formal and informal conversations, especially when you want to show respect for the other person’s experience.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cosadovreievitare?
Cosa
Interrogative pronoun meaning 'what'. Can be used alone or as 'che cosa' for emphasis.
dovrei
First‑person singular conditional of the verb dovere (to have to/should). It softens advice, making it polite.
evitare
Infinitive verb meaning 'to avoid'. After a modal or auxiliary (like dovrei) the infinitive follows directly.
Question mark
In written Italian the question mark is placed after the whole clause; the intonation rises on the final syllable of the infinitive.
🗨In Conversation
Cosa dovrei evitare quando visito Napoli per la prima volta?
What should I avoid when I visit Naples for the first time?
Evita di mangiare la pizza troppo presto, altrimenti non potrai assaporare il vero sapore della margherita tradizionale.
Avoid eating pizza too early, otherwise you won’t be able to taste the authentic traditional Margherita.
✕Common Mistakes
Cosa devo evitare?
Using the present ‘devo’ sounds like a command rather than a polite request; the conditional ‘dovrei’ is needed.
Cosa non devo evitare?
Double negation with ‘non’ is unnecessary here; the verb already carries the sense of ‘should’.
Cosa dovrei eviti?
After ‘dovrei’ the infinitive is required; ‘eviti’ is a subjunctive form and is ungrammatical in this construction.
↔Alternatives
Che cosa dovrei evitare?
What should I avoid?
Quali cose è meglio non fare?
Which things are better not to do?
Cosa è consigliabile non fare?
What is advisable not to do?
Cultural Tip
In Italian, using the conditional (dovrei) makes a request sound polite and less imposing. Native speakers often follow the question with a brief personal anecdote or a cultural tip, so be ready to listen and thank them with a simple “Grazie!” to keep the conversation friendly.