Italian · Real conversations
How to say “Could we have a few more minutes?” in Italian
Ask for a little more time before ordering or making a choice.
Potremmo avere ancora qualche minuto?
Could we have a few more minutes?
The plural form speaks for your group.
Use it in three situations
Reading a menu
Potremmo avere ancora qualche minuto?
Could we have a few more minutes?
Choosing together
Potremmo avere qualche minuto in più per scegliere?
Could we have a few more minutes to choose?
Checking a menu detail
Non siamo ancora pronti per ordinare.
We're not ready to order yet.
What to watch for
This asks for time to decide, rather than asking how long cooking will take.
Read the whole expression before replacing a detail. The natural wording may use a different order or construction from the English sentence.
Your turn
Imagine restaurant problems. Say this in Italian: Could we have a few more minutes to choose?
Reveal a sample reply
Potremmo avere qualche minuto in più per scegliere?
Could we have a few more minutes to choose?
Build a useful exchange
Explain a problem with an order and settle the bill.
This expression in other languages
A note on speaking Italian
Use tu with friends and Lei with someone you address formally. A request with vorrei or potrebbe can soften the tone; it still helps to say what you need clearly. The examples label the situation so you can choose the appropriate relationship.
Read doubled consonants distinctly and keep the written accents. The English translation explains the intended message; Italian often chooses a different construction rather than matching each English word.
