Chiediamo l'autotutela piuttosto che l'opposizione.

Chiediamo is the 1st person plural present indicative of chiedere.

So it means we ask, we are asking, or sometimes let’s ask, depending on context. In this sentence, the most natural reading is simply we ask / we are asking.

Quick breakdown:

• chiedere = to ask, to request
• chiediamo = we ask / we request

Italian often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Here, -iamo tells you the subject is we.

So:

• Chiediamo l'autotutela... = normal, natural Italian
• Noi chiediamo l'autotutela... = also possible, but more emphatic

Adding noi would usually suggest contrast or emphasis, like we are asking for this, not someone else.

Because both nouns are feminine singular and begin with a vowel, so the article la becomes l'.

• la autotutela → l'autotutela
• la opposizione → l'opposizione

This is called elision.

So the full underlying article is still la, just shortened before a vowel.

In Italian, nouns are often used with an article where English might not use one, especially when talking about:

• a specific procedure
• a legal remedy
• an abstract concept treated as a defined thing

Here, l'autotutela and l'opposizione sound like specific legal/administrative options, so the article is natural.

Without the article, chiediamo autotutela would sound much less idiomatic in this context.

Here piuttosto che means rather than.

So the sentence is contrasting two alternatives:

• l'autotutela
• l'opposizione

and saying the first is preferred over the second.

A very important note for learners:

In standard Italian, especially in writing and formal language, piuttosto che means rather than, not simply or.

In some spoken Italian, some people use piuttosto che loosely to mean something like or / and so on, but many speakers consider that usage unclear or nonstandard, especially in formal contexts. In a sentence like this one, you should definitely understand it as rather than.

Not really. Autotutela is mainly a legal, administrative, or bureaucratic term.

In many contexts, it refers to a procedure where a public authority reviews and possibly corrects or withdraws its own act without the need for a full formal challenge.

So this sentence sounds quite formal and probably belongs to a legal or administrative context, not casual everyday conversation.

Because piuttosto che directly links the two alternatives by itself. You do not need another preposition.

Structure:

• chiediamo X piuttosto che Y
• we ask for X rather than Y

So:

• l'autotutela = first option
• l'opposizione = second option

Adding contro would change the meaning and would not fit this structure.

Yes. Chiedere can be used in a few patterns, and one common one is:

• chiedere qualcosa = to ask for something / request something

So here:

• chiediamo l'autotutela = we request autotutela

Other common patterns are:

• chiedere a qualcuno = to ask someone
• chiedere qualcosa a qualcuno = to ask someone for something
• chiedere di + infinitive = to ask to do something

In this sentence, the direct object is simply l'autotutela.

Yes, but the original order is the most straightforward.

Standard order:

• Chiediamo l'autotutela piuttosto che l'opposizione.

You could also say:

• Piuttosto che l'opposizione, chiediamo l'autotutela.

This puts more emphasis on the contrast.

Italian word order is fairly flexible, but the original sentence sounds neutral and natural, especially in formal writing.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Italian present tense often covers both:

• we ask
• we are asking

So without extra context, chiediamo could be interpreted as either a general present or an action happening now.

In formal written requests, it often feels like we request.

It is pronounced roughly like:

kyeh-DYAH-mo

A few points:

• chi before e gives a hard k sound: kie-
• diamo sounds like DYAH-mo
• stress is on -dia-: chie-DIA-mo

So not like English chee-, and not with a soft ch sound.

Yes, it sounds quite formal, especially because of the vocabulary:

• autotutela
• opposizione

These are terms you are likely to see in:

• legal writing
• administrative letters
• official requests
• bureaucratic communication

In everyday conversation, most people would use simpler wording unless they were specifically talking about a legal or official procedure.