Italian Phrase
Dimmi cosa ti va bene.
Meaning
Literally ‘Tell me what goes well for you’, this phrase is used to ask someone to specify a preference, a convenient time, or any option that suits them. It’s a friendly, informal way to invite the other person to choose.
When to use
Use it in casual conversations with friends, colleagues, or anyone you address with ‘tu’. It works well when arranging meetings, picking a restaurant, or simply asking for a personal preference.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Dimmicosativabene
Imperative with clitic pronoun
‘Dimmi’ is the second‑person singular imperative of ‘dire’ with the object pronoun ‘mi’ attached, meaning ‘tell me’. In informal speech the pronoun is fused to the verb.
‘Andare bene’ idiom
‘Ti va bene’ uses the verb ‘andare’ (to go) in the third person singular to mean ‘it works/is okay for you’. It’s a common way to ask if something suits someone.
Interrogative pronoun ‘cosa’
‘Cosa’ introduces a subordinate clause meaning ‘what’. It can be replaced by ‘che cosa’ without changing the meaning.
🗨In Conversation
Dimmi cosa ti va bene.
Tell me what works for you.
Mi va bene venerdì sera.
Friday evening works for me.
✕Common Mistakes
Dimmi cosa mi va bene.
‘Mi’ is first‑person; the sentence is directed to ‘you’, so the correct pronoun is ‘ti’.
Dimmi cosa ti va per me.
‘Per me’ changes the meaning to ‘for me’; the phrase asks about the listener’s preference, not the speaker’s.
Dimmi che cosa ti va bene.
While grammatically correct, the shorter ‘cosa’ sounds more natural in spoken Italian.
↔Alternatives
Fammi sapere cosa ti conviene.
Let me know what suits you.
Dimmi quando ti è comodo.
Tell me when it’s convenient for you.
Che cosa ti sembra meglio?
What do you think is best?
Cultural Tip
‘Dimmi’ is informal; with strangers or in a formal setting you would say ‘Mi dica’ (formal imperative) or ‘Mi faccia sapere’. The construction ‘ti va bene’ is extremely common in everyday Italian and can be used for time, place, activity, or any suggestion.