Lesson 15 of 18 · Café & Bar
State an Unavailable Item and Confirm a Customer-Approved Alternative
State that an ordered menu item is unavailable (*è finito* / *è finita*), offer one explicitly available alternative from the taught menu, wait for the customer's agreement, and confirm the revised order including quantity and service location without making assumptions or silent substitutions.
Learn these expressions
Mi dispiace: il tè è finito.
I am sorry: the tea is finished / out of stock.
Reporting an out-of-stock masculine item.
La bevanda d'avena è finita.
The oat drink is finished / out of stock.
Reporting an out-of-stock feminine item.
Abbiamo il caffè.
We have coffee.
Offering an available menu alternative.
Abbiamo il latte normale.
We have regular milk.
Offering an available milk alternative.
Va bene un caffè?
Is a coffee okay?
Asking customer consent for substitution.
Confermo la modifica: un caffè al banco.
I confirm the change: one coffee at the counter.
Confirming customer-approved revision.
New words
- Mi dispiace.
- I am sorry.
- No, grazie.
- No, thank you.
- è finito
- is finished / out of stock (masculine singular adjective from past participle of finire)
- è finita
- is finished / out of stock (feminine singular adjective, agreeing with feminine nouns like la bevanda d'avena)
- abbiamo
- we have (present tense 1st person plural of avere)
- la modifica
- the modification / the change (feminine singular noun)
- va bene [bevanda]?
- is [drink] okay?
You may hear
- Avete ancora il tè? = Do you still have tea?
- Va bene lo stesso. = That's fine all the same.
- Allora prendo un caffè. = In that case I'll take a coffee.
- Nient'altro, grazie. = Nothing else, thank you.
Grammar tipsShow
Gender Agreement with Finito / Finita:
When an item is unavailable, match the ending to the noun's grammatical gender:
Il tè è finito. (The tea is finished — masculine noun)
Il caffè è finito. (The coffee is finished — masculine noun)
La bevanda d'avena è finita. (The oat drink is finished — feminine noun)
Offering an Available Alternative (Abbiamo...):
To offer a menu item that is in stock, use Abbiamo... (We have...):
Abbiamo il caffè. (We have coffee.)
Abbiamo il latte normale. (We have regular milk.)
Awaiting Consent Before Confirmation:
Never confirm an order modification before the customer accepts. Ask: Va bene un caffè? Once the customer says yes, confirm the full revised order: Confermo la modifica: un caffè al banco. Va bene, grazie.
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 does Sam say about the drinks?
Question 2
What does Sam say is unavailable, and whom will Sam ask?