Italian Expression · Advanced
mettersi nei panni di
to put oneself in someone's shoes
Pronunciation: MET-ter-si nei PAN-ni di
Meaning
To try to imagine or understand what it would be like to be in another person's situation or position.
Example
Prova a metterti nei panni di Marco prima di giudicare.
Try to put yourself in Marco's shoes before judging.
Practice tips
- Practice mettersi nei panni di out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this Italian expression is for advanced-level learners.