At the bar: your first Italian breakfast

The sentences you need

• Cosa le preparo?

  What can I make for you?

• Un cappuccino e un cornetto, per favore.

  A cappuccino and a croissant, please.

• Alla crema.

  With custard.

• Liscia o frizzante?

  Still or sparkling?

• Al banco, grazie.

  At the counter, thanks.

• Quant'è?

  How much is it?

• Pago con la carta.

  I'll pay by card.

Chapters

1. 0:00The conversation
2. 0:45Welcome
3. 1:27Line by line
4. 3:42Your turn
5. 4:28Italy, decoded
6. 5:16The conversation, again
7. 6:01See you next time

Full transcript

Italian lines are highlighted. Tap a time to listen from there.

1. 0:00Host

   Can you follow this? Don't worry if you can't. By the end of this episode, you will.

2. 0:05Voice 2

   Buongiorno! Cosa le preparo?

3. 0:08Voice 1

   Buongiorno. Un cappuccino e un cornetto, per favore.

4. 0:12Voice 2

   Il cornetto lo vuole vuoto o alla crema?

5. 0:15Voice 1

   Alla crema. E anche un bicchiere d'acqua.

6. 0:18Voice 2

   Liscia o frizzante?

7. 0:21Voice 1

   Liscia, grazie.

8. 0:23Voice 2

   Lo prende al banco o si siede?

9. 0:26Voice 1

   Al banco, grazie. Ho solo cinque minuti.

10. 0:29Voice 2

    Ecco a lei. Buona colazione!

11. 0:32Voice 1

    Grazie. Quant'è?

12. 0:34Voice 2

    Tre euro e venti.

13. 0:36Voice 1

    Pago con la carta.

14. 0:38Voice 2

    Certo. Ecco lo scontrino. Buona giornata!

15. 0:42Voice 1

    Grazie, anche a lei!

16. 0:45Host

    "Ciao!" And welcome to Living in Italian, by Adesso Italian. This is series two: Everyday Italy. The small moments of every day, from your morning coffee to Sunday lunch.

17. 0:57Host

    Today: the bar. In Italy, "il bar" is where you have breakfast, a coffee at eleven, a sandwich at lunch. Most Italians stop there at least once a day.

18. 1:08Host

    By the end, you'll be able to order breakfast, choose between the counter and a table, and pay like a local.

19. 1:15Host

    Quick note: the voices you hear are AI-generated. Every script is written for real life in Italy and checked by a native Italian speaker.

20. 1:24Host

    Let's go, line by line.

21. 1:26Host

    The barista starts: "Buongiorno! Cosa le preparo?" Good morning! What can I make for you? "Le" is the polite you. You'll also hear just "Dica", or "Prego". And you order:

22. 1:42Voice 1

    Un cappuccino e un cornetto, per favore.

23. 1:45Host

    "Un cornetto" is the Italian croissant, a little sweeter than the French one. In Milan, they call it "brioche".

24. 1:54Host

    Then: "Il cornetto lo vuole vuoto o alla crema?" Do you want it plain or with custard? "Vuoto" means empty. You'll also see "alla marmellata", with jam. Careful: "marmellata" is any jam, not only orange marmalade. You choose:

25. 2:14Voice 1

    Alla crema. E anche un bicchiere d'acqua.

26. 2:17Host

    "Un bicchiere d'acqua": a glass of water. The answer is a question: "Liscia o frizzante?" Still or sparkling? "Liscia" literally means smooth. You'll also hear "naturale" and "gassata".

27. 2:35Host

    Now an important one: "Lo prende al banco o si siede?" Will you have it at the counter, or will you sit down? And you say:

28. 2:43Voice 1

    Al banco, grazie. Ho solo cinque minuti.

29. 2:47Host

    "Il banco" is the counter. "Ho solo cinque minuti": I only have five minutes. Then the barista says: "Ecco a lei. Buona colazione!" Here you are. Enjoy your breakfast! "La colazione" is breakfast.

30. 3:03Host

    When you're done, you ask:

31. 3:06Voice 1

    Quant'è?

32. 3:07Host

    How much is it? It's short for "quanto è". The answer: "Tre euro e venti." Three euros twenty. Italians say the euros, then "e", then the cents. And you say:

33. 3:21Voice 1

    Pago con la carta.

34. 3:24Host

    I'll pay by card. Italians often use the present tense for something they're about to do. Then: "Ecco lo scontrino." Here's your receipt. And you close with: "Grazie, anche a lei!" Thanks, you too! With a friend, it's "anche a te".

35. 3:41Host

    Your turn. I'll say a sentence in English. In the pause, say it in Italian, out loud. Then listen to the answer.

36. 3:49Host

    A cappuccino and a croissant, please.

37. 3:56Voice 1

    Un cappuccino e un cornetto, per favore.

38. 4:00Host

    With custard.

39. 4:04Voice 1

    Alla crema.

40. 4:07Host

    At the counter, thanks.

41. 4:12Voice 1

    Al banco, grazie.

42. 4:15Host

    How much is it?

43. 4:18Voice 1

    Quant'è?

44. 4:20Host

    I'll pay by card.

45. 4:25Voice 1

    Pago con la carta.

46. 4:28Host

    Italy, decoded. Counter, table, and who you pay first.

47. 4:33Host

    At the counter it's faster and cheaper. If you sit down and someone serves you, the price can be higher, especially in a busy piazza. The prices are on a list, usually behind the counter.

48. 4:45Host

    In busy bars, you pay first. Go to the cash desk, "la cassa", say what you want, and take the receipt to the counter. In small bars, you order first and pay when you leave. If you're not sure, just ask: "Pago adesso o dopo?" Do I pay now or later?

49. 5:04Host

    And cappuccino after lunch? Most Italians drink it only in the morning. After a meal, it's "un caffè", a small espresso. But order what you like: nobody will stop you.

50. 5:16Host

    Now, the full conversation again. This time, you'll understand all of it.

51. 5:21Voice 2

    Buongiorno! Cosa le preparo?

52. 5:24Voice 1

    Buongiorno. Un cappuccino e un cornetto, per favore.

53. 5:28Voice 2

    Il cornetto lo vuole vuoto o alla crema?

54. 5:31Voice 1

    Alla crema. E anche un bicchiere d'acqua.

55. 5:34Voice 2

    Liscia o frizzante?

56. 5:37Voice 1

    Liscia, grazie.

57. 5:39Voice 2

    Lo prende al banco o si siede?

58. 5:41Voice 1

    Al banco, grazie. Ho solo cinque minuti.

59. 5:45Voice 2

    Ecco a lei. Buona colazione!

60. 5:48Voice 1

    Grazie. Quant'è?

61. 5:50Voice 2

    Tre euro e venti.

62. 5:52Voice 1

    Pago con la carta.

63. 5:54Voice 2

    Certo. Ecco lo scontrino. Buona giornata!

64. 5:57Voice 1

    Grazie, anche a lei!

65. 6:01Host

    That's it for today. If you want to practise moments like this one, with exercises and instant correction, there's Studio, and Unit 1 is free. The link is in the show notes.

66. 6:11Host

    Next episode: the market. How to buy fruit and vegetables by the kilo, and by the "etto".

67. 6:19Host

    This was Living in Italian, by Adesso Italian. See you next time.