This episode’s audio doesn’t exist, and we have technology to blame (poof! gone into cyberspace!). Instead of listening to this episode, feel free to use the notes below to learn more about the topic. And if you’re like, “CHER, NO. I NEED THIS EPISODE,” then let me know in the comments below. I’ll put it on my list to record again!

EDITOR UPDATE: Some of the phrases in the audio will differ slightly from the phrases below. The ones below are the most correct.

Le frasi

— Dimmi (informal)

DEE-me

Tell me.

— Mi dica (formal)

mee DEE-kah 

Tell me

— Vorrei…

vohr-REH-ee

I would like…

— Un cornetto vuoto

oon kohr-NEHT-toh VWUO-toh

A plain croissant

— Un cornetto al cioccolato

oon kohr-NEHT-toh ahl tchohk-koh-LAH-toh

A chocolate croissant

— Un cornetto alla crema

oon kohr-NEHT-toh AHL-lah CREH-mah

a cream-filled croissant

— Buonasera, vorrei prenotare un tavolo.

BWUOH-nah-SEH-rah vohr-REH-ee preh-noh-TAH-reh oon TAH-voh-loh

I’d like to reserve a table

Remember: ‘Vorrei – I would like’ is the polite form instead of ‘Voglio – I want’.

You could just say ‘Vorrei prenotare’, but then they’ll be sure to ask you:

— A che ora?

ah keh OH-rah

At what time?

— Per quante persone?

pehr KWAHN-teh pehr-SOH-neh

For how many people?

— Il conto, per favore.

eel KOHN-toh pehr fah-VOH-reh

The check, please.

— Accettate la carta di credito?

atch-cheht-TAH-teh lah CAHR-tah dee CREH-dee-toh

Do you (all) accept credit card?

— Dove si mangia davvero bene?

DOH-veh see MAHN-dja dah-VEH-roh BEH-neh

Where can I eat really good food?

— C’è un buon ristorante (cubano) qui vicino (in zona)?

tch-EH oon bwuohn REE-stohr-ahn-teh (KOO-bahn-oh) qwee vee-CHEE-no (een ZOH-nah)

Is there a good (Cuban) restaurant near here?

TIP:  Switch out cubano for whatever kind of food you’re craving.

— Cinese (chee-NEH-zeh) – Chinese

— Messicano (MES-see-kahn-oh) – Mexican

Like these phrases so far? Then you might just trip over yourself with joy once you see the Not Your Typical Tourist Workbook that will help you prepare yourself for speaking Italian on your next trip to Italy.

— Domani

doh-MAH-nee

Tomorrow

— Stasera

stah-SEH-rah

Tonight

— Lunedì

loo-neh-DEE

Monday

— Martedì

mahr-teh-DEE

Tuesday

— Mercoledì

mehr-koh-leh-DEE

Wednesday

— Giovedì

djoh-veh-DEE

Thursday

— Venerdì

veh-nehr-DEE

Friday

— Sabato

SAH-bah-toh

Saturday

— Domenica

doh-MEH-nee-kah

Sunday

— Alle sette

AHL-leh SEHT-teh

At 7 PM

— Domani mattina

doh-MAH-nee maht-TEEN-ah

Tomorrow morning

— La prossima settimana

lah PROH-see-mah seht-tee-MAHN-ah

Next week

— È buonissimo.

EH bwuon-EES-see-moh

It’s so good!

— È squisito. 

EH sqwee-ZEE-toh

It’s exquisite!

— È delizioso.

EH dee-lee-TSEEOH-soh

It’s delicious!

YOUR TASK

Think of your favorite food in the whole world. Look up the word for it in Italian using Wordreference or Context-Reverso. Listen to the pronunciation. Then say È buonissimo out loud – or change it to reflect the endings, like the examples:

— La torta ? È buonissima!

— Il sushi ? È buonissimo!

— I frutti di mare ? Sono buonissimi!

— Le lasagne ? Sono buonissime!