Italian All-in-One For Dummies (45 page)
Read Italian All-in-One For Dummies Online
Authors: Consumer Dummies
The verb
prendere
(
prehn
-deh-reh) (
to have
) (Literally:
to take
) is the verb to use when talking about food and drinks.
Conjugation | Pronunciation |
io prendo | ee |
tu prendi | tooh |
lui/lei prende | looh |
noi prendiamo | nohy prehn- |
voi prendete | vohy prehn- |
loro prendono | loh |
Pasta is usually made with durum wheat flour and water. The different types include:
spaghetti
(spah-
geht
-tee) (
spaghetti
),
bucatini
(booh-kah-
tee
-nee) (
thick, tube-like spaghetti
),
penne
(
pehn
-neh) (
short, cylindrical pasta shaped to a point at each end
),
fusilli
(fooh-
zeel
-lee) (
spiral-shaped pasta
),
rigatoni
(ree-gah-
toh
-nee) (
short, cylindrical, grooved pasta
), and so on.
On the other hand,
pasta fresca
(
pah
-stah
freh
-skah) (
fresh pasta
) means
pasta
all'uovo
(
pahs
-tah ahl-
lwoh
-voh) (
egg noodles
), also called
pasta fatta in
casa
(
pahs
-tah
faht
-tah een
kah
-sah) (
homemade pasta
). These are
tagliatelle
(tah-lyah-
tehl
-leh) (
flat noodles
),
fettuccine
(feht-toohch-
chee
-neh) (
narrow, flat noodles
), and
tonnarelli
(tohn-nah-
rehl
-lee) (
tubular noodles
), to mention just a few.
On Thursdays, Italians traditionally eat
gnocchi
(
nyohk
-kee) (
soft potato dumplings
). They're not pasta, though! They make a nice change from pasta and
risotto
(ree-
soht
-toh) (
rice
) and can be served in red or white sauces.
Incidentally, when you have a bite of pasta, you should make sure that it's
al dente
(ahl
dehn
-teh) (Literally:
to the tooth
). It means that the pasta is a little hard so that you really need to use your teeth!
The following conjugation shows you the polite form of the verb
volere
(voh-
leh
-reh) (
to want
). You have another verb for when you're being polite:
to like.
Italian, however, uses a conditional to express politeness.
Conjugation | Pronunciation |
io vorrei | ee |
tu vorresti | too vohr- |
lui/lei vorrebbe | loo |
noi vorremmo | nohy vohr- |
voi vorreste | vohy vohr- |
loro vorrebbero | loh |
Enjoying dinner
Italians often have
la cena
(lah
cheh
-nah) (
supper
) at home, but they also eat out. In this chapter, you're introduced to the different types of eateries available to you. Supper time varies throughout the peninsula; for example, restaurants in Venice stop serving dinner earlier than those in Rome, where you can go as late as 9 or 10 p.m.
 The many meanings of “prego”
Prego
(
preh
-goh) has several meanings. When you say it in response to
grazie
(
grah
-tsyeh) (
thank you
), it means
you're welcome.
But clerks and servers also use it to ask you what you would like or if they can help you. You often hear
prego
when you enter a public office or shop. You also use
prego
when you give something to someone. In this case, the word translates as
here you are.
Prego
is also a very formal answer when you ask for permission. Following are a few examples of how
prego
is used:
Grazie.
(
grah
-tsyeh.) (
Thank you
.)
Prego.
(
preh
-goh.) (
You're welcome.
)
Prego?
(
preh
-goh?) (
Can I help you?
)
Posso entrare?
(
pohs
-soh ehn-
trah
-reh?) (
May I come in?
)
Prego.
(
preh
-goh.) (
Please.
)
Prego, signore.
(
preh
-goh see-
nyoh
-reh.) (
Here you are, sir.
)
Grazie.
(
grah
-tsyeh.) (
Thank you.
)
Talkin' the Talk
A group of friends gather at a local pizzeria for dinner. Their exchanges are quite informal. (Track 11)