Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to order (food)" in Italian: ordinare
ordinare
To order in Italian is ordinare. Present: ordino, ordini, ordina. Ordino una pizza is natural; l'ordine is the noun, not the verb.
Trattoria
Ordino i tortellini al burro.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ordinare
Say it
or-dee-NAH-reh
/or.diˈna.re/
Ordinare: or-dee-NAH-reh. Ordino: OR-dee-noh. Stress NAH / OR.
"to order (food)" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ordinare | to order Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| ordino / ordini / ordina | I/you/he-she order(s) Present. | Present. |
| possiamo ordinare? | can we order? Ready for the waiter. | Ready for the waiter. |
| ho ordinato | I ordered Past. | Past. |
How to use ordinare in real life
- 1Trattoria
Ordino i tortellini al burro.
I'll order the tortellini with butter.
Io ordino.
- 2Sharing a table
Ordini anche il vino?
Are you ordering wine too?
Tu ordini.
- 3Delivery app
Stasera ordino sushi a casa.
Tonight I'm ordering sushi at home.
Delivery.
Mistakes English speakers make with ordinare
Incorrect: Io ordinare la pizza.
Correct: Ordino la pizza.
Conjugate: io ordino.
Incorrect: Prendo l'ordine. (meaning I order food)
Correct: Ordino.
L'ordine is the noun; use the verb ordino.
Good to know
In restaurants, Italians often wait for the whole table before they order. Possiamo ordinare? signals readiness. At bars, a short ordino un caffè works standing up.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ready to order lunch
ChatPal
Hai deciso?
Have you decided?
You
Sì—ordino un'insalata e acqua.
Yes—I'll order a salad and water.
ChatPal
Io ordino la carbonara.
I'll order the carbonara.
You
Chiamiamo il cameriere allora.
Let's call the waiter then.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to order (food)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to order (food)" in Italian
Infinitive?
Ordinare.
I order?
Ordino.
Can we order?
Possiamo ordinare?
Noun vs verb?
Ordino is the verb; l'ordine is the order slip.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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