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Essential Italian for cafés – HearSay Italian A1
Master the unwritten rules of Italian coffee culture while practicing listening and speaking on the go. Step into a local café with confidence, from ordering your morning espresso to asking for the bill.
Lessons The morning greeting Emily walks into a Roman café for the first time. Learn how to properly greet the barista.
Vocabulary buongiorno (good morning) il bar (the café) ciao (hello/goodbye) prego (you're welcome) il barista (the barista) Objectives Greet a barista in the morning Say hello and goodbye politely Counter or table Discover the cultural and financial differences between standing at the bar and sitting at a table.
Vocabulary il banco (the counter) il tavolo (the table) sedersi (to sit down) in piedi (standing) la sedia (the chair) Objectives Choose where to sit or stand Understand café seating rules The simple espresso Emily orders her very first authentic Italian espresso at the counter.
Vocabulary il caffè (the coffee) per favore (please) la tazzina (the small cup) lo zucchero (the sugar) il cucchiaino (the teaspoon) Objectives Order a basic espresso Ask for items politely Italian breakfast classics Explore traditional morning orders, including milk-based coffees and classic pastries.
Vocabulary il cappuccino (the cappuccino) il cornetto (the croissant) il caffè macchiato (the macchiato) la colazione (the breakfast) la schiuma (the foam) Objectives Order a cappuccino Discuss common breakfast items The latte misunderstanding Emily tries to order a latte but learns a valuable lesson about Italian words.
Vocabulary il latte (the milk) il caffè latte (the coffee with milk) freddo (cold) caldo (hot) il bicchiere (the glass) Objectives Order a coffee with milk correctly Differentiate between hot and cold drinks Exploring café pastries Dive into the delicious world of Italian breakfast sweets and their fillings.
Vocabulary la pasta (the pastry) il cioccolato (the chocolate) la crema (the cream) la marmellata (the jam) il tovagliolo (the napkin) Objectives Identify pastry fillings Ask for a napkin Ordering water Learn how to specify the type of water you want alongside your coffee.
Vocabulary l'acqua (the water) naturale (still) frizzante (sparkling) la bottiglia (the bottle) il ghiaccio (the ice) Objectives Order still or sparkling water Ask for ice in a drink Afternoon coffee rules Marco explains why Italians generally don't drink cappuccinos in the afternoon.
Vocabulary il caffè lungo (the long coffee) il caffè americano (the Americano) il decaffeinato (the decaf) il pomeriggio (the afternoon) l'orario (the time) Objectives Order afternoon coffee variations Talk about times of day Coffee for a group Emily orders coffees for herself and her friends who are visiting from London.
Vocabulary ordinare (to order) noi (we) vorremmo (we would like) due (two) tre (three) l'amico (the friend) Objectives Use numbers to order multiple items Order on behalf of a group Getting the waiter's attention Practice getting a waiter's attention when sitting at a table.
Vocabulary il cameriere (the waiter) il menu (the menu) il bagno (the bathroom) scusi (excuse me) avere (to have) Objectives Get a waiter's attention politely Inquire about the restroom Asking for the bill It is time to leave. Learn the most crucial phrase for ending your café visit.
Vocabulary il conto (the bill) il prezzo (the price) caro (expensive) lo scontrino (the receipt) pagare (to pay) Objectives Ask for the bill Understand basic price descriptions Paying the check Emily settles her bill at the cash register using different payment methods.
Vocabulary la carta (the card) i contanti (the cash) il bancomat (the debit card) il resto (the change) il portafoglio (the wallet) Objectives State your payment method Understand terms related to change Evening drinks Discover what happens to café culture after the sun goes down.
Vocabulary il caffè corretto (the corrected coffee) il liquore (the liquor) la grappa (the grappa) la sera (the evening) forte (strong) Objectives Order an evening coffee Describe strong flavors Tipping and farewells Understand Italian tipping culture and learn how to leave with a warm goodbye.
Vocabulary la mancia (the tip) arrivederci (goodbye) grazie mille (thank you very much) a presto (see you soon) il servizio (the service) Objectives Understand tipping etiquette Say thank you and farewell