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PhrasesGiving ComplimentsHai fatto la cosa giusta. Ci vuole coraggio.
B1

Hai fatto la cosa giusta. Ci vuole coraggio.

You did the right thing. It takes courage.

Pronunciation

'Giusta' = GIU-sta. 'Coraggio' = co-RAG-gio, with double 'g'.

When to use it

Use this to validate a difficult ethical or personal decision someone has made. It combines moral affirmation with acknowledgment of the difficulty. It is particularly meaningful after someone has shared a hard choice they have made.

What it means

'La cosa giusta' (the right thing) — 'giusto/a' means right, correct, fair, just. 'Ci vuole coraggio' (it takes courage) — the impersonal 'ci vuole' (it requires/takes) + noun is very common in Italian: 'ci vuole tempo' (it takes time), 'ci vuole pazienza' (it takes patience).

Variations

Ti rispetto per questa scelta.

I respect you for this choice.

Respect as the response to a moral action

Non tutti avrebbero avuto la forza di farlo.

Not everyone would have had the strength to do it.

Acknowledging the rarity of their strength

Sei rimasto/a fedele ai tuoi valori.

You stayed true to your values.

Value-based compliment — integrity

Mini Dialogue

— Hai fatto la cosa giusta. Ci vuole coraggio. — Non è stato facile. Ho avuto molti dubbi. — Lo so. Ma alla fine hai scelto l'onestà. — Era l'unica cosa che potevo fare e guardarmi allo specchio.

— You did the right thing. It takes courage. — It was not easy. I had many doubts. — I know. But in the end you chose honesty. — It was the only thing I could do and still look at myself in the mirror.

Cultural Note

The Italian concept of 'onestà' (honesty) and 'integrità' (integrity) is tied to the deep cultural value of personal honour ('onore'). While Italy sometimes has a reputation for flexible ethics in public life, personal honour among individuals is taken extremely seriously. Complimenting someone's integrity is meaningful and lasting.