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How to Say ‘What are you doing for lunch?’ in Italian

Tu cosa fai per pranzo?

too KO-sa fahy pehr PRAHN-dzoh

[too KO-sa fahy pehr PRAHN-dzoh]

💬 Usage Tip: fai already means "you do," so tu isn't needed. Putting it first adds a light "and you?" feel, handy when turning the question back to someone.

🇮🇹 In Italy: Colleagues in Italy usually use tu with each other, especially in casual break-room chat.

Phrase Breakdown

Tu cosa fai

too KO-sa fahy

What are you doing

An informal question. Stress 'CO' in 'cosa' and make the voice rise a little on 'fai'.

Example

Tu cosa fai stasera?

What are you doing tonight?

Words in this phrase

[too]

you

Informal singular pronoun used when speaking directly to one person.

Example

E tu, in che settore lavori?

And you, what field do you work in?

cosa

[KO-sa]

What

Used to specify something unknown.

Example

Dire cosa vuoi vedere.

Say what you want to watch.

fai

[fahy]

you do / are doing

Second person singular of 'fare' (to do).

Example

Cosa fai stasera?

What are you doing tonight?

per pranzo?

pehr PRAHN-dzoh

for lunch?

'Pranzo' means lunch. Roll the 'r' lightly and say 'z' as 'dz': PRAN-dzo.

Example

Cosa mangi per pranzo?

What are you eating for lunch?

Words in this phrase

per

[pehr]

for

A preposition used to explain purpose or reason.

Example

Sono qui per conoscere nuove aziende.

I am here to get to know new companies.

pranzo

[PRAHN-dzoh]

lunch

Noun for the midday meal, usually eaten around 1 pm in Italy.

Example

Il pranzo è pronto.

Lunch is ready.

Guides for Italian learners

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