Lesson 10 of 18 · Café & Bar
Greet a Customer and Recognise Basic Drink Orders
Politely greet a café customer, recognise spoken orders for single or double quantities of three core hot drinks (*un caffè*, *un cappuccino*, *un tè*), and give a short professional acknowledgment (*Va bene, grazie.*).
Learn these expressions
Buongiorno, cosa desidera?
Good morning, what would you like?
Formal counter customer greeting.
Vorrei un caffè, per favore.
I would like a coffee, please.
A polite customer request.
Vorrei un cappuccino.
I would like a cappuccino.
Customer ordering a cappuccino.
Vorrei un tè.
I would like a tea.
Customer ordering hot tea.
Due caffè, per favore.
Two coffees, please.
Plural order request.
Va bene, grazie.
Okay, thank you.
Staff acknowledgment of an order.
New words
- prego
- you are welcome (staff reply to thanks)
- grazie mille
- thank you very much
- Chiedo al collega.
- cosa desidera?
- what would you like? (formal greeting from verb desiderare)
- vorrei...
- I would like... (polite conditional request formula)
- un caffè
- an espresso / a coffee
- un cappuccino
- a cappuccino (espresso with frothed milk)
- un tè
- a tea / hot tea (masculine singular noun)
- due caffè
- two coffees (invariable plural noun ending in accented vowel)
- due cappuccini
- two cappuccinos (regular masculine plural ending in -i)
- due tè
- two teas (invariable plural noun ending in accented vowel)
- va bene, grazie
- okay, thank you (neutral acknowledgment; no timing promise)
You may hear
- Per me un caffè. = For me, a coffee.
- Prendo un cappuccino. = I'll take a cappuccino.
- Un tè caldo, grazie. = A hot tea, thank you.
Grammar tipsShow
Ordering Espresso (Un caffè):
On most Italian menus, un caffè means an espresso.
Invariable Plurals (Caffè and Tè):
Nouns that end in an accented vowel (such as caffè and tè) do not change their spelling or sound in the plural:
un caffè -> due caffè (never say "due caffèi" or "caffès").
un tè -> due tè (never say "due tès").
Regular masculine nouns ending in -o change to -i:
un cappuccino -> due cappuccini.
Taking Orders with Cosa desidera?:
Use the polite formal phrase Buongiorno, cosa desidera? when a customer approaches the service counter.
Listen to the conversation
Listen once without reading. Then step through the lines below, one turn at a time.
Listening practice
Listen, pick an answer, then reveal the spoken words to check. Practice only, not an exam.
Question 1
What drink and quantity does the customer order?
Question 2
What drinks does the customer request?