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How to Say ‘Will you hold the table for us?’ in Italian

Ci tenete il tavolo?

chee teh-NEH-teh eel TAH-vo-lo

[chee teh-NEH-teh eel TAH-vo-lo]

💬 Usage Tip: ci here means "for us" and goes before the verb. tenete is the "you all" form, because you're addressing the restaurant as a whole.

Phrase Breakdown

Ci tenete

chee teh-NEH-teh

Will you keep for us

'Ci' means 'for us'. 'Tenete' is the voi form of 'tenere', stressed te-NE-te.

Example

Ci tenete i posti?

Will you keep the seats for us?

Words in this phrase

[chee]

for us

Indirect object pronoun 'to/for us'.

Example

Ci porti il conto?

Can you bring us the bill?

tenete

[teh-NEH-teh]

(you all) keep / hold

Voi form of 'tenere'; here, to hold a table.

Example

Tenete il posto per me?

Will you keep the seat for me?

il tavolo?

eel TAH-vo-lo

the table?

Stress TA-vo-lo and let your voice rise for the question.

Example

Dov'è il tavolo?

Where is the table?

Words in this phrase

[eel]

the

Masculine singular definite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Nella frase Il tempo personale, Il introduce il concetto di tempo privato.

In the phrase 'Il tempo personale,' 'Il' introduces the concept of private time.

tavolo

[TAH-vo-lo]

Table

A piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs used for various purposes.

Example

Cerco un tavolo nel ristorante.

I'm looking for a table in the restaurant.

Guides for Italian learners

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