Italian Phrase
Dimmi cosa hai provato per risolvere.
Meaning
A direct request asking the listener to explain which actions they have already taken in order to solve a problem. It is informal and assumes the speaker already knows there is a problem to be fixed.
When to use
Use this sentence when you need a quick rundown of attempted solutions—e.g., in tech support, troubleshooting a household issue, or helping a friend with a project. It works best in casual or semi‑formal settings; switch to *Mi dica* for a formal context.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Dimmicosahaiprovatoperrisolvere
Dimmi (imperative)
Second‑person singular imperative of *dire*; the final -i is kept in informal speech (e.g., *dimmi* = “tell me”).
cosa (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask “what” and introduces a subordinate clause.
hai provato (present perfect)
Formed with auxiliary *avere* + past participle *provato*; expresses an action completed in the recent past.
per + infinitive (purpose)
The preposition *per* followed by an infinitive indicates the purpose of the previous action (“to …”).
risolvere (infinitive)
The base form of the verb *risolvere* (“to solve”).
🗨In Conversation
Dimmi cosa hai provato per risolvere.
Tell me what you have tried to solve.
Ho riavviato il router, ho aggiornato il firmware e ho controllato i cavi.
I rebooted the router, updated the firmware, and checked the cables.
✕Common Mistakes
Dimmi cosa hai provato a per risolvere.
When you already have *per* in the sentence, adding *a* creates redundancy; choose either *hai provato a risolvere* or *hai provato per risolvere*.
Dimmi cosa hai provato per risolvere, signor Rossi.
Using *dimmi* with strangers or in formal contexts can sound too familiar; opt for *Mi dica* or *Mi può dire* instead.
↔Alternatives
Fammi sapere cosa hai fatto per risolvere.
Let me know what you have done to solve it.
Mi dici quali tentativi hai fatto per risolvere?
Can you tell me which attempts you made to solve it?
Che cosa hai provato per risolvere?
What have you tried to solve?
Cultural Tip
In Italian, the imperative *dimmi* is friendly and informal. In a workplace or with someone you don’t know well, replace it with the more polite *Mi dica* or *Mi può dire*. Also, while *per* + infinitive is grammatically correct, native speakers often prefer *provare a* (e.g., *hai provato a risolvere*).