Italian Phrase
A cosa dai la priorità?
Meaning
This phrase is used to ask someone what they consider most important among various options or tasks. It literally translates to 'To what do you give the priority?', emphasizing the action of assigning importance. It is a common way to discuss focus, values, or time management.
When to use
Use this phrase in professional environments to clarify task management or in personal conversations to understand someone's values or current life focus. It is appropriate for both formal and informal settings depending on the tone.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Acosadailapriorità?
Preposition 'A'
The sentence starts with 'A' because the verb 'dare' requires the indirect object preposition when directed toward a thing or concept.
Dai (Verb Dare)
'Dai' is the second-person singular (tu) form of the irregular verb 'dare', meaning 'to give'.
Priorità
This is a feminine noun that ends in an accented vowel, meaning it does not change its form in the plural.
🗨In Conversation
Ho troppe cose da fare questa settimana e non so da dove iniziare.
I have too many things to do this week and I don't know where to start.
A cosa dai la priorità? Forse posso aiutarti a organizzarti.
What do you give priority to? Maybe I can help you get organized.
✕Common Mistakes
Cosa dai la priorità?
You must include the preposition 'A' at the beginning because in Italian you give priority 'to' something.
A cosa fai la priorità?
The standard verb collocation for priority in Italian is 'dare' (to give), not 'fare' (to make/do).
↔Alternatives
Quali sono le tue priorità?
What are your priorities?
Cosa consideri più importante?
What do you consider most important?
Cultural Tip
In Italy, while work is important, family and personal well-being often take top priority. When asking this in a social context, it shows a genuine interest in the other person's life philosophy rather than just their to-do list. In business, it is a direct and respected way to ensure alignment on goals.