Italian Phrase
Devi pagare la caparra prima di trasferirti.
Meaning
The sentence means “You must pay the deposit before you move.” It states a requirement that is typical in rental agreements or when changing residence.
When to use
Use this phrase when discussing the conditions of a lease, reminding a tenant of obligations, or talking about the steps you need to complete before moving into a new home.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Devipagarelacaparraprimaditrasferirti
Dovere (devi)
Used to express obligation; conjugated in present indicative for 'tu' (you).
Infinitive verb (pagare)
The main verb stays in infinitive after a modal verb like 'devi'.
Definite article + noun (la caparra)
Caparra is a feminine noun meaning a security deposit; the article agrees in gender and number.
Temporal preposition (prima di)
Introduces an infinitive to indicate that something must happen before another action.
Reflexive infinitive (trasferirti)
Verb 'trasferire' with the clitic pronoun 'ti' attached; means 'to move yourself' (to relocate).
🗨In Conversation
Devi pagare la caparra prima di trasferirti.
You have to pay the deposit before you move.
Sì, la pagherò domani.
Yes, I’ll pay it tomorrow.
✕Common Mistakes
Deve pagare la caparra prima di trasferirti.
‘Deve’ is third‑person singular; the sentence addresses ‘you’, so ‘devi’ is required.
Devi pagare la caparra prima di trasferire.
Missing the reflexive pronoun; ‘trasferire’ alone means ‘to transfer’, not ‘to move oneself’.
Devi pagare la caparra prima di trasferirsi.
The infinitive must keep the clitic attached to the verb; ‘trasferirsi’ is a conjugated form, not an infinitive.
↔Alternatives
È necessario versare la caparra prima del trasloco.
It is necessary to pay the deposit before the move.
Prima di trasferirti, devi pagare la caparra.
Before you move, you must pay the deposit.
Devi versare la cauzione prima di cambiare casa.
You must pay the security deposit before changing house.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, paying a 'caparra' is a standard part of any rental contract. It usually equals one or two months' rent and is returned at the end of the lease if the property is left undamaged. Landlords often ask for the caparra before handing over the keys, so the phrase is heard frequently in real‑estate conversations.