Italian Phrase
Chi è il capo di questo dipartimento?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the identity of the person who leads or manages the department being referred to. It is a neutral, polite way to request this information in a professional setting.
When to use
Use this question during meetings, introductions, or when you need to know who to address for departmental matters. It works both in formal corporate environments and in academic contexts such as university faculties.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Chièilcapodiquestodipartimento?
Chi (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask about a person’s identity; it does not change for gender or number.
è (verb essere, 3rd person singular)
The present indicative of 'to be' used here to link the subject (Chi) with the predicate.
il capo (noun phrase)
'Capo' means 'head' or 'boss'; the definite article 'il' agrees with the masculine singular noun.
di (preposition)
Introduces the complement of specification, indicating the department to which the head belongs.
questo (demonstrative adjective)
Points to a specific department; it must agree in gender and number with the noun 'dipartimento'.
dipartimento (noun)
A masculine singular noun meaning 'department' (e.g., in a university or company).
🗨In Conversation
Chi è il capo di questo dipartimento?
Who is the head of this department?
Il capo è la prof.ssa Rossi.
The head is Professor Rossi.
✕Common Mistakes
Chi è capo di questo dipartimento?
Missing the definite article 'il' before 'capo' makes the phrase sound ungrammatical.
Chi è il capo di questi dipartimento?
The demonstrative must agree in gender and number with 'dipartimento' (masculine singular).
Chi è il capo di questo dipartimento
In written Italian a question mark is required at the end of a direct question.
↔Alternatives
Chi dirige questo dipartimento?
Who directs this department?
Chi è il responsabile di questo dipartimento?
Who is the person responsible for this department?
Chi è il capo di questo reparto?
Who is the head of this division?
Cultural Tip
In Italian workplaces, the word 'capo' can be informal; for more formal contexts you might prefer 'responsabile' or 'direttore'. When addressing the person directly, use the appropriate title (e.g., 'Dott.', 'Prof.ssa') and the polite form of 'you' (Lei) if you are not on a first‑name basis.