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How to Say ‘I'm going to order at the counter’ in Italian

Vado a ordinare al banco

VAH-doh ah or-dee-NAH-reh ahl BAHN-koh

[VAH-doh ah or-dee-NAH-reh ahl BAHN-koh]

💬 Usage Tip: al is a + il merged together: al banco "at the counter". The same thing happens in al bar and al tavolo "at the table".

Phrase Breakdown

Vado a ordinare

VAH-doh ah or-dee-NAH-reh

I'm going to order

'Andare a' plus an infinitive means 'going to do something'.

Example

Vado a ordinare la pizza.

I'm going to order the pizza.

Words in this phrase

Vado

[VAH-doh]

I go

First person singular form of the verb to go.

Example

Vado a casa.

I am going home.

[ah]

"A" is a simple preposition used in many fixed expressions and combinations.

Example

Magari ci vediamo davanti a un caffè la prossima settimana.

Maybe we’ll meet over a coffee next week.

ordinare

[or-dee-NAH-reh]

to order

Infinitive verb used for ordering food or drinks.

Example

Siamo pronti per ordinare. Vorremmo prima i secondi.

We are ready to order. We would like the main courses first.

al banco

ahl BAHN-koh

at the counter

'Il banco' is the bar counter. 'Al' is 'a' plus 'il'.

Example

Prendo il caffè al banco.

I have coffee at the counter.

Words in this phrase

[ahl]

at the

'a' + 'il', at the.

Example

Ci vediamo al bar.

See you at the bar.

banco

[BAHN-koh]

counter / bar counter

The place where customers often stand to drink coffee in Italy.

Example

Al banco bevo il caffè velocemente.

At the counter I drink the coffee quickly.

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