Italian Phrase
Devi avvisare i padroni di casa prima di entrare.
Meaning
You must let the homeowners know before you go inside. The sentence conveys a polite or required notice, emphasizing respect for private property and the people who live there.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are about to step into someone’s home, a rented apartment, or any private dwelling and you need to give a heads‑up—especially in formal, respectful, or unfamiliar situations.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Deviavvisareipadronidicasaprimadientrare
Devi (dovere + infinitive)
‘Devi’ is the second‑person singular present of the modal verb ‘dovere’, used with an infinitive to express an obligation or necessity.
avvisare (infinitive)
The verb ‘avvisare’ means ‘to notify, to give a warning’. It is a regular –are verb and follows the standard conjugation pattern.
i padroni di casa
Literally ‘the owners of the house’; a polite way to refer to homeowners, landlords or the people who live in the residence.
prima di + infinitive
The construction ‘prima di’ + infinitive indicates a temporal relationship: ‘before doing something’.
entrare (infinitive)
The verb ‘entrare’ means ‘to enter’. In this sentence it is the action that follows the warning.
🗨In Conversation
Devi avvisare i padroni di casa prima di entrare.
You have to let the homeowners know before you go in.
Hai ragione, chiamerò subito.
You’re right, I’ll call them right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Deve avvisare i padroni di casa prima di entrare.
‘Deve’ is third‑person singular; the sentence addresses ‘you’, so the correct form is ‘devi’.
Devi avvertire i padroni di casa prima di entrare.
‘Avvertire’ means ‘to warn’ and is less appropriate for a simple notification; use ‘avvisare’.
Devi avvisare i padroni casa prima di entrare.
The article ‘di’ is required to link ‘casa’ to ‘padroni’.
Devi avvisare i padroni di casa prima entrare.
The preposition ‘di’ must follow ‘prima’ when introducing an infinitive.
↔Alternatives
È necessario informare i proprietari prima di entrare.
It is necessary to inform the owners before entering.
Bisogna avvisare chi abita la casa prima di entrare.
One should warn the people who live in the house before entering.
Prima di entrare, avvisa i padroni di casa.
Before entering, notify the homeowners.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, respecting private property is taken seriously. Even in casual settings, it’s considered courteous to call or knock and let the owners know you’re coming, especially in small towns where personal relationships matter. Using ‘padroni di casa’ sounds polite and avoids sounding too familiar.