Italian Phrase
Quando mi ridanno la caparra?
Meaning
Literally, ‘When will they give me back the deposit?’ It is used to ask the date or moment when a security deposit, usually paid for a rental or a service, will be returned to the speaker.
When to use
Use this sentence when you have paid a *caparra* for an apartment, a car rental, a vacation home, or any service that requires a refundable deposit, and you want to know when the landlord, agency, or service provider will return it.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quandomiridannolacaparra?
Quando
Interrogative adverb meaning ‘when’; placed at the beginning of a question.
mi
First‑person singular indirect object pronoun, indicating ‘to me’.
ridanno
Third‑person plural present indicative of *ridare* (to give back). The subject is usually an implicit ‘they’ or a specific party (e.g., *gli inquilini*).
la
Definite article agreeing with the feminine noun *caparra*.
caparra
Feminine noun meaning ‘deposit’ (often a security deposit for a rental).
🗨In Conversation
Quando mi ridanno la caparra?
When will they give me back the deposit?
Dovrebbero restituirtela entro la fine del mese, se non ci sono danni.
They should return it by the end of the month, provided there’s no damage.
✕Common Mistakes
Quando mi ridono la caparra?
‘Ridono’ is the third‑person plural of *ridere* (to laugh). The correct verb is *ridare* (to give back).
Quando restituiscono la caparra?
While *restituire* is correct, you must keep the pronoun agreement: *mi restituiscono* is fine, but learners often drop the *mi* and say *restituiscono la caparra?* which loses the indirect object.
Quando ridanno la caparra mi?
In Italian the indirect object pronoun comes before the verb, not after the noun.
↔Alternatives
Quando mi restituiranno la caparra?
When will they return the deposit?
A che punto è la restituzione della caparra?
What’s the status of the deposit refund?
Quando potrò riavere la caparra?
When will I be able to get the deposit back?
Cultural Tip
In Italy, a *caparra* is commonly required when signing a lease for an apartment or a house. The law (art. 1385 of the Civil Code) states that the deposit must be returned within a reasonable time after the contract ends, usually after an inspection of the property. It’s polite to ask about the refund timeline before signing, and to keep all receipts. In informal speech, many Italians also use *rimborso* for a refund, but *caparra* is the standard term for a security deposit.