Lesson 16 of 18 · Café & Bar
Table Clearing Communication: Tables, Glasses, and Plates
Understand a short coworker instruction naming a specific table (*tavolo uno* or *tavolo due*) and tableware items (*tazzine*, *bicchieri*, *piatti*), clarify an object or location when needed, and repeat back the confirmed clearing task using *sparecchio* and *porto al lavaggio*.
Learn these expressions
Sparecchia il tavolo uno, per favore.
Clear table one, please.
Coworker instruction to clear a table.
Porta i bicchieri al lavaggio.
Take the glasses to dishwashing.
Instruction to carry glassware.
Porta i piatti al lavaggio.
Take the plates to dishwashing.
Instruction to carry plates.
Sparecchio il tavolo uno o il tavolo due?
Do I clear table one or table two?
Clarifying which table to clear.
Uso il vassoio per i bicchieri.
I will use the tray for the glasses.
Say what you will use the tray for.
Confermo: porto i piatti al lavaggio.
I confirm: I am taking the plates to dishwashing.
Task confirmation formula.
New words
- i bicchieri
- the glasses / drinking glasses (masculine plural noun; singular il bicchiere)
- i piatti
- the plates (masculine plural noun; singular il piatto)
- tavolo uno
- table one (retrieved noun phrase)
- tavolo due
- table two (retrieved noun phrase)
- uso
- I use (present tense 1st person singular of usare)
- per
- for (preposition)
- ci sono
- there are
- dal tavolo
- from the table (changed task)
You may hear
- C'è da sparecchiare fuori. = There is clearing to do outside.
- Porta tutto al lavaggio. = Take everything to dishwashing.
- Attento ai bicchieri. = Watch out for the glasses / careful with the glasses.
Grammar tipsShow
Masculine Plural Nouns (I bicchieri, I piatti):
Both il bicchiere (the glass) and il piatto (the plate) are masculine nouns that form their plural with the article i and the ending -i:
il bicchiere -> i bicchieri (the glasses)
il piatto -> i piatti (the plates)
Remember: coffee cups are feminine plural: le tazzine.
Clarifying Between Options (O):
If a coworker speaks quickly, clarify the exact table number using o (or):
Sparecchio il tavolo uno o il tavolo due? (Do I clear table one or table two?)
Confirming Actions with the "I" Form (Sparecchio, Porto):
When repeating back your instructions, use the “I” form of the verb:
Quindi prima sparecchio il tavolo uno... (So first I clear table one...)
...e poi porto i bicchieri al lavaggio. (...and then I take the glasses to dishwashing.)
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 must the worker take to dishwashing first?
Question 2
Which table and items does Marco confirm?