Order anything by pointing in Italian
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu. Play the ten Italian words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Italian phrases in this lesson
- Vorrei...vor-RAY
- I would like...
- QuestoKWES-to
- This one
- Quanto costa?KWAN-to KOS-ta
- How much is it?
- Il conto, per favoreeel KON-to pehr fah-VOH-reh
- The bill, please
- Con la cartakon la KAR-ta
- By card
- In contantiin kon-TAN-tee
- In cash
- L'acquaLAK-kwa
- Water
- Un caffèoon kaf-FEH
- Coffee
- Un tèoon TEH
- Tea
- BirraBEER-rah
- Beer
- Senza...SEN-tsah
- Without...
The polite conditional: "vorrei un caffè".
Use "questo" for masculine nouns and "questa" for feminine. Pointing while you say it removes any ambiguity about what you want.
Works in shops, markets, and bars alike. For multiple items, say "quanto costano?" with the plural form.
Waiters do not bring the bill until you ask. Catching someone's eye and miming writing also works well.
Card payments are widely accepted in cities, but smaller bars, markets, and rural spots may be cash only. Always worth asking first.
Having small notes and coins is useful in Italy. Many bars and shops prefer exact change, especially for small purchases.
Specify "naturale" (still) or "frizzante" (sparkling). Italians drink a lot of sparkling water and it is often the default if you do not specify.
In Italy, "caffè" means a short, strong espresso by default. If you want a longer drink, specify: "caffè americano" or "caffè lungo."
A small draft is "una piccola", a large one "una media".
"Senza ghiaccio", without ice.