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PhrasesExpressing OpinionsOgni tanto bisogna chiedersi se stiamo facendo la cosa giusta.
B2

Ogni tanto bisogna chiedersi se stiamo facendo la cosa giusta.

Sometimes you need to ask yourself if we're doing the right thing.

Pronunciation

'Chiedersi' — CHIE-der-si. Stress on the first syllable. 'Bisogna' — bi-ZO-nya, stress on the second.

When to use it

Use to introduce an ethically reflective opinion — prompting the group or conversation partner to question the direction being taken. It's an invitation to shared self-examination.

What it means

'Ogni tanto bisogna' (sometimes one must) creates a gentle collective obligation. 'Chiedersi' (to ask oneself) is reflexive. 'Se stiamo facendo la cosa giusta' (if we're doing the right thing) uses an embedded question — se + indicative.

Variations

Bisogna fermarsi a riflettere ogni tanto.

You need to stop and reflect sometimes.

'Fermarsi a riflettere' (to stop and reflect) — advocate for a pause before proceeding

Stiamo davvero andando nella direzione giusta?

Are we really going in the right direction?

Rhetorical question — invites everyone to reflect, not just answer

Vale la pena mettere in discussione le nostre assunzioni.

It's worth questioning our assumptions.

'Mettere in discussione' (to put into discussion = to question) — standard analytical phrase

Mini Dialogue

— Continuiamo come al solito? — Ogni tanto bisogna chiedersi se stiamo facendo la cosa giusta. Il contesto è cambiato. — Hai ragione. Facciamo un passo indietro. — Sì, poi decidiamo con più chiarezza.

— Shall we continue as usual? — Sometimes you need to ask yourself if we're doing the right thing. The context has changed. — You're right. Let's take a step back. — Yes, then we'll decide with more clarity.

Cultural Note

'Fare un passo indietro' (to take a step back) is a key Italian metaphor for pausing to reassess — it appears in personal, professional, and political contexts. It implies wisdom and is not seen as retreat but as strategic reconsideration.