Today, once again, I skipped lunch. That got me thinking about discussing lunch break and food choices in Italian! So… feast yourselves ^_^
“Hai fame?” – Are you hungry?
“Si, ho una fame cane!” - Yes, I’m darn hungry!
“Sto morendo di fame!” – I’m starving! (literally: I am dying from hunger)
“Ho sete” - I’m thirsty
“Tra un po’ andiamo a mangiare” – In a little while, we’ll go and eat
“E’ ora di pranzo” – It’s lunch time
“Andiamo al bar?” – Shall we go to the bar/café?
“No dai, mangiamo la pizza oggi” – No come on, let’s eat pizza today
“Vieni al cinese con noi?” – Are you coming to the chinese (restaurant) with us?
“No, mi fa schifo il cibo cinese” – No, chinese food disgusts me
“Ok, però io prendo il sushi” – Ok, but I’m having sushi
“Adoro il wasabi!” – I love wasabi!
“Quella roba verde? Ma come fa a piacerti?” - That green stuff? But how can you like it?
“Buon appetito!” – Bon appetit!
“Hmmm… che buon odorino..” – Hmmm… what a nice smell..
“Mi passi il sale/il pepe/l’olio/l’aceto?” – Can you pass the salt/pepper/oil/vinegar?
“Non ho la forchetta/il cucchiaio/il coltello/il cucchiaino” - I don’t have a fork/spoon/knife/teaspoon
“Che buono!” – So good!
“E’ troppo freddo/caldo” – It’s too cold/hot
“Quasi quasi, faccio il bis” – I think I might have a second helping
“Qual è il tuo cibo/piatto/dolce preferito?” – What’s your favorite food/dish/dessert?
“Ti piace il pesce (crudo)?” – Do you like (raw) fish?
“Sono intollerante al latte/ai latticini” – I am intolerant to milk/dairy
“Sono vegetariano” – I am a vegetarian
“Preferisco il dolce/il salato” – I prefer the sweet/salty taste
So, what’s good to eat for lunch in Italy? Or better, what do people normally eat during lunch break (pausa pranzo)?
- un panino - a sandwich
- una focaccia – a “focaccia” (similar to pizza, but without tomato and cheese on it)
- una pizzetta - a small pizza
- un piatto di pasta / un primo – a plate of pasta / a first course
- un’insalata – a salad
- un gelato – an ice-cream
- un ghiacciolo – an ice lolly
- una macedonia – a fruit salad
- primo, secondo e contorno – first course (can be pasta, ravioli, risotto, etc.), second course (usually some meat, fish or cheese) and side dish (vegetables)
Anyway, lunch break is over and I am starving!!! Guess I’ll have to wait for dinner (cena) or hope for an afternoon snack (merenda). Sighhhhh!!!! :-/
