The word coffee in italian

«coffee«: examples and translations in context

1. caffè

Lui non le ha regalato un ramo di rose però l’ha invitata a prendere un caffè e ha parlato con lei.

Gradisci del caffè?

Importiamo caffè dal Brasile.

Mi portò un caffè, sebbene avessi ordinato un tè.

Il marocchino è un caffè espresso con poca schiuma di latte e una spolverata di cacao.

Visto che ci sei, fai del caffè anche per me.

Se il tuo caffè è troppo forte, aggiungi dello zucchero.

Il caffè può avere un brutto effetto sullo stomaco.

Non bere troppo caffè, potrebbe farti male.

Appena ci sedemmo ci portò del caffè.

Sempre sia lodato chi ha fatto arrivare il caffè in Europa.

Il caffè più vicino alla scuola è chiuso all’ora di pranzo.

Perché non facciamo una pausa e beviamo del caffè?

Amo l’aroma del caffè appena tostato.

Fate bere caffè ai vostri figli?

Italian word «coffee»(caffè) occurs in sets:

Sostantivi: singolare e plurale — Noun: Singular a…
Nomi utili — Useful nouns
Ristorante — Restaurant
Bevande in inglese
Bevande — Drinks

Results: 85419,
Time: 0.0321

So you’re heading to an Italian cafe and want to order coffee like a local? In this guide, you’ll learn how to order coffee in Italian. Plus tons of other expressions, vocabulary, and specifics about ordering coffee drinks in Italy.

Guide to Coffee in Italy

Coffee is one of those things that brings locals and visitors together. When you visit Italy, it would be great to know how to order your coffee craving in Italian.

In this guide, I break down all the specifics – vocabulary and expression. Plus 12 specific Italian coffee drinks to try on your trip.

To begin, let’s cover the most important question.

“Can I have a coffee please?” in Italian

Here is the simplest way to order a coffee in Italian.

• “Un caffè per favore.” A coffee please.
• “Vorrei un caffè per favore.” I would like some coffee, please.

When you order a “caffè” you’ll get an espresso. Espresso is the standard coffee in Italy.

If you order an “espresso” or “doppio espresso” (double espresso) you might reveal your tourist status.

Italian word for coffee

The Italian word for coffee is caffè.  It is pronounced as (kaf-feh).

Coffee in Italian is: il caffè (m).

How to say coffee in Italian

Coffee in Italian is caffè and is pronounced as (kaf-feh).

It is two syllables: caf·fè

Here’s how to pronounce coffee in Italian:

How to spell coffee in Italian

Coffee is spelled almost as it sounds: c-a-f-f-è

But as you probably noticed, the Italian word caffè has an accent over the “e”. This accent (è) is called a grave accent. It is used to aid in pronunciation by indicating which syllable to stress when speaking.

How to Place Your Coffee Order

To go beyond ordering a basic coffee, you’ll need to know the common types of coffee in Italy.

Here are the basic coffee drinks with a basic description.

12 Common Names for Italian Coffees

You’ll notice that espresso isn’t on this list. That’s because espresso refers to the process, not the drink. In Italy, coffee is espresso.

1. Caffè: This is your standard coffee in Italy. It will be a black espresso served in a ceramic, porcelain, or glass cup. There are a couple of variations.
2. Caffè lungo: A double espresso. You could also say doppio espresso, but not as common among locals.
3. Caffè corto: Literally a “short coffee”, a caffè corto is a tiny bit of espresso.
4. Caffè ristretto: Literally “restricted coffee”. This is a shot of espresso but with half the water. It is known for being sweeter and more concentrated than standard espresso.
5. Caffè americano: Espresso with water added. Here’s how to make an Americano at home.
6. Caffè macchiato: Espresso with a splash of milk.
7. Caffè latte: Espresso with warm milk. This is what we know as “latte”.
8. Cappuccino: Espresso with milk and milk foam. The milk foam forms a cap.
9. Caffè con panna: Espresso with whipped cream
10. Caffè corretto: Literally “correct coffee”, this is espresso with a shot of liquor.
11. Cioccolata calda: Hot chocolate made with cocoa powder, sugar, and cornstarch. Has a pudding-like consistency.
12. Decafinato: Decaf coffee, served in an espresso cup

Something you’ll notice about coffee sizes is that they are smaller in Italy.

None of this 590 ml (20oz) of dark roast Starbucks. Yes, I’m looking at you Venti!

How Italian Coffee Shops Work

Much like coffee shops in Spain and France, cafes in Italy are different than most found in the United States. In Italy, you’ll order a coffee drink and they will make it for you.

Then you will drink it.

None of this back and forth to add more sugar, then cream, then more sprinkles and powder. Just chose the drink you are craving and enjoy.

“To drink coffee” in Italian

• bere il caffè: to drink coffee
• consumare il caffè: to consume coffee

Is Lavazza how you say coffee in Italian?

No. But the marketing campaign by Lavazza, the Italian coffee manufacturer, would like you to believe that.

If you order “Lavazza”, you are asking for a brand of coffee. It would be like going to Starbucks and ordering a Folgers. Not only would that sound a little weird, it probably isn’t possible.

Likely the Italian cafe/bar will have its own blend or brand of beans. You’ll have better success looking for this at a supermarket.

They have branded themselves as “Italy’s Favorite Coffee”. And according to their sales volume, this could be true – from a retail, consumer level. They claim to sell to 80% of coffee-purchasing families (16 of 20 million families who purchase coffee choose Lavazza).

Lavazza manufactures 17 brands and products, including Qualità Rossa, Caffè Espresso, Il Perfetto Espresso, Caffè Crema, Crema e Aroma, Dek (decaffeinated), and Lavazza Blue Nespresso Compatible Capsules (NCC).

What does Lavazza mean? Lavazza is the name of the founder of the coffee company, based in Turn, Italy. Lavazza was founded back in 1895.

A common way to make coffee in Italy is with a moka pot. Here’s how to make moka pot coffee.

What is coffee shop in Italian? Bar vs Cafe

There are two words for a coffee shop in Italian: “il bar” and “il caffè”.

• il bar: An establishment where you can get coffee, alcohol, and some food.
• il caffè: An establishment where you can get coffee, alcohol, and some food.

These terms are used interchangeably. “Going to the bar” doesn’t convey the same thing in Italy as it might in the US or Canada.

Some bars also sell sandwiches, snacks, and pastries. But bars and cafes don’t typically serve full means.

How to pay for coffee in Italy: 2 systems

There are basically two systems. Pay before you get your coffee. Or pay after you drink it. Either way, you’ll need to order, then go to the cashier to settle up.

1. The common payment system is to order, drink, then pay. A small piece of paper is given to you to take to make payment.
2. The less common method is sometimes used in tourist settings – airports and other areas frequented by visitors. You’ll order, pay, then drink.

If you are unsure of the process, just take a minute to see how the flow is progressing. How are other customers handling the transaction?

It can be overwhelmingly confusing to hit a language wall two sentences in at your first cafe.

Take a minute to observe people flow and other indicators and you’ll do fine.

“Would you like coffee?” in Italian

• “Ti andrebbe un caffè?” Would you like some coffee?
• “Vuoi un caffè?” Do you want a coffee?

“More coffee” in Italian

• Più caffè. More coffee.
• Altro caffè, per favore. More coffee, please.
• Ho bisogno di altro caffè. I need more coffee.

These expressions can be helpful when asking your waiter for another shot.

How to say milk in Italian

It is probably no surprise that milk in Italian is latte.

A few things to consider when ordering a latte in Italy. Don’t order a latte in Italy. If you do, you’ll probably get a glass of milk. But if that’s what you want, then you should order a latte.

Instead, you could order a latte macchiato – which would at least give you a taste of coffee.

But if you want an actual latte, you should order a caffè latte. This is an espresso with warm milk. This will be the closest thing to a North American latte – although it will be noticeably smaller than you’re used to.

What does macchiato mean in Italian?

In Italian, macchiato means stained.

At the cafe, it can mean two things. To avoid being disappointed, be sure to specify which you want.

• Caffè macchiato (stained coffee) this espresso with a dash of milk
• Latte macchiato (stained milk) this is the opposite, milk with a splash of espresso

Macchiato is equivalent to the Spanish café manchado.

What is cup in Italian?

In Italian, the word cup is tazza.

Cup of coffee: tazza di caffè

Plural of caffè in Italian

Making coffee plural in Italian is actually very easy. Nothing changes.

Here’s how it looks:

• One coffee: Un caffè
• Two coffees: Due caffè

In Italian, words that end in an accented letter (like caffè) don’t change even when they are referring to more than one. 

Learn more about forming plural words in Italian.

“Andiamo” meaning in Italian

What does andiamo mean? This is an Italian interjection. As in: “Andiamo al caffè”. (English: Let’s go to the cafe)

• Andiamo: Here we go / Let’s go.

What do Italians call croissants?

The Italian word for croissants is cornetti.

These are commonly served at Italian coffee shops. And make a nice addition to your cappuccino.

Cornetti range in flavors from plain (delicious with an espresso) to filled with jam, custard, or even a Amalfi lemon mascarpone filling.

What is a classic Italian breakfast?

To get into the Italian way of life, drop by a cafe and order cornetto e caffè.

This is a croissant (cornetti) and espresso (caffè). 

According to Eater, this breakfast is eaten by more than 10 million Italians every morning. At costs between €2-3.

What is barista in Italian?

Barista in Italian is, well, barista.

Barista is an Italian word. The English equivalent is a bartender (also, barman and barmaid).

In English, the term barista has come to mean someone who prepares and serves coffee.

What is the Italian word for sugar?

In Italian, the word for sugar is zucchero.

How to say very good in Italian

To say very good in Italian, you would say: molto bene

• For example, if the barista asked you: Com’è il tuo caffè? (How’s your coffee?)
• You could respond: Molto buono, grazie. (Very good, thank you.)

Cream? No thank you. I take it black. Crema? No grazie. Lo prendo nero.

Vocabulary for Ordering Italian Coffee

1. Caffè da portar via: to take away / to go. Not common in Italy.
2. Tazza di caffè: coffee mug
3. Caldo: hot
4. Troppo caldo: too hot
5. Tiepido: lukewarm
6. Freddo: cold
7. Zucchero: sugar
8. Ghiaccio: Ice
9. Dolcificante: sweetener
10. Latte: Milk
11. Cannella: Cinnamon

Ordering Coffee “To Go” in Italy: This isn’t common in Italy. Coffee in paper cups is mostly seen on trains and ferries – not in local cafes and bars.

But tourist areas that cater to American tourists (Florence and Rome) are beginning to see paper cups “to go” for customers. Learn more: 80 Facts about Italy

Ordering Coffee in Italy (Video)

Learn how to order a coffee in Italy with this short video. This video will help show the basic differences in coffee drinks with Italian/English subtitles.

Keep learning: How to Order Coffee in Spanish

Your Turn

What type of Italian coffees are on your list to try? Have a tip or correction? Please let me know. I’m just learning Italian – any suggestions and additions are welcome.

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WordReference English-Italiano Dictionary © 2023:

Principal Translations/Traduzioni principali
Inglese		Italiano
coffee n	uncountable (drink) (bevanda al caffè)	caffè nm
	I have a cup of coffee every morning.
	Bevo una tazza di caffè ogni mattina.

Traduzioni aggiuntive
Inglese		Italiano
coffee n	uncountable (plant) (pianta del caffè)	caffè nm
	They grow coffee in Colombia.
	In Colombia si coltiva il caffè.
coffee n	uncountable (ground beans) (miscela di caffè macinato)	caffè nm
	We need to buy more coffee for the coffee maker.
	Dobbiamo comprare dell’altro caffè per la macchina del caffè.
coffee n	(color: light brown)	color caffè nm
	I like the dress in brown, but would prefer coffee.
	Mi piace il vestito marrone, ma lo preferirei color caffè.
coffee n as adj	(light brown in color)	color caffè loc agg
	I wouldn’t say it’s dark brown. I would say it was more coffee.
	Non direi che è marrone. Direi che è più color caffè.

WordReference English-Italiano Dictionary © 2023:

Compound Forms/Forme composte coffee
Inglese		Italiano
barley coffee n	(drink made from roasted barley)	caffè d’orzo nm
	In time of war people make chicory or barley coffee.
	In tempo di guerra la gente fa il caffè d’orzo o di cicoria.
black coffee n	(coffee: no milk)	caffè nero, caffè liscio nm
	Black coffee is a traditional hangover remedy.
	Il caffé nero è un rimedio tradizionale contro i postumi di una sbornia.
café royale, coffee royal n	(coffee drink with brandy)	café royal nm
coffee bar n	(café: serves coffee)	bar nm
	(bar)	caffè nm
		caffetteria nf
	Starbucks turned the coffee bar into a multinational enterprise.
	Starbucks ha trasformato il bar in un’impresa internazionale.
	ⓘQuesta frase non è una traduzione della frase inglese. Troviamoci al caffè a fare due chiacchiere.
coffee bean n	usually plural (seed of coffee tree)	chicco di caffè nm
	The coffee I’m serving was made from freshly ground coffee beans.
	Il caffè che sto servendo è stato fatto con chicchi di caffè appena macinati.
coffee break n	(pause for coffee, tea, etc.)	pausa caffè nf
	Whenever I try to ask for her help, she’s on a coffee break.
	ⓘQuesta frase non è una traduzione della frase inglese. La pausa caffè a metà mattina è sacrosanta.
coffee cake n	(cake containing coffee)	torta al caffè nf
	Peter was eating a slice of coffee cake.
coffee cake n	US (sweet bread)	coffee cake nf
coffee cart n	(stand: serves hot drinks)	chiosco bibite nm
coffee cream n	(light cream)	panna da caffè nf
		panna light nf
coffee cup n	(cup in which coffee is served)	tazzina da caffè
	Anna gave him a set of coffee cups as a birthday present.
	Anna gli ha regalato un set di tazzine da caffè come regalo di compleanno.
coffee filter n	(device: strains coffee)	filtro per il caffè nm
coffee grinder n	(machine for grinding coffee beans)	macinacaffè, macinino nm
	Ground beans fresh from the coffee grinder give the coffee a richer flavor.
	ⓘQuesta frase non è una traduzione della frase inglese. La nonna usava il macinino a mano ma io uso un macinacaffè elettrico.
coffee maker n	(machine that brews coffee)	macchina del caffè
		caffettiera nf
	This coffee maker can make both espresso coffee and cappuccino coffee.
	Questa macchina del caffè fa sia l’espresso che il cappuccino.
coffee mill, mill n	(coffee grinder)	macinino per caffè, macinacaffè nm
coffee mug, mug n	(cup for coffee)	tazza grande da caffè, tazza da caffè nf
	She clasped her hands around her coffee mug, letting it warm them.
	Ha messo le mani intorno alla sua tazza da caffè per scaldarsele.
coffee plantation n	(field where coffee beans are grown)	piantagione di caffè nf
	Cutting trees to plant coffee plantations destroys bird habitat.
	Tagliare gli alberi per realizzare piantagioni di caffè distrugge l’habitat degli uccelli.
coffee pod n	(ground coffee in a filter bag)	cialda di caffè nf
	The single-serving coffee pod is the latest fad among coffee drinkers.
	Le cialde di caffè monouso sono all’ultimo grido tra i bevitori di caffè.
coffee pot, coffeepot n	(for brewing coffee) (per fare il caffè)	caffettiera nf
	I still prefer my old coffee pot over my new coffee maker.
	Preferisco sempre la mia caffettiera piuttosto che la mia nuova macchina del caffè.
coffee pot, coffeepot n	(for brewed coffee) (recipiente per servire il caffè)	caffettiera nf
	Tip the milky coffee into a warmed coffee pot.
	Versa il caffellatte in una caffettiera riscaldata.
coffee shop n	(café where coffee is served)	caffè, bar nm
	We arranged to meet in a coffee shop.
	Ci siamo dati appuntamento in un caffè.
coffee shop n	(café where cannabis is served) (Olanda: droga)	coffee shop nm
	In most of the coffee shops in Amsterdam, you can order a coffee or beer and a selection of cannabis from a dozen different countries.
	Nella maggior parte dei coffee shop di Amsterdam, puoi ordinare un caffè o una birra e una selezione di cannabis proveniente da una dozzina di paesi differenti.
coffee table, also US: cocktail table n	(low table used in living room)	tavolino da caffè nm
	Please don’t put your feet on the coffee table.
	Questo si chiama «tavolino da caffè», non «poggiapiedi»!
coffee-colored (US), coffee-coloured (UK) adj	(medium-brown)	color caffè, caffè agg invar
coffee-table book n	(large illustrated hardback book)	libro di lusso
coffeehouse, also UK: coffee-house, coffee house n	(establishment where coffee is served)	caffetteria nf
	The Golden Horn was a 60’s coffeehouse where you could find coffee, folk songs and poetry but no alcohol.
coffeehouse, also UK: coffee-house vi	dated, slang (indulge in chitchat)	perdersi in chiacchiere⇒ v rif
		dilungarsi in chiacchiere⇒ v rif
decaffeinated coffee n	(coffee: caffeine removed)	caffè decaffeinato nm
	I drink decaffeinated coffee at night so I do not stay awake all night.
	La sera bevo caffè decaffeinato per non stare sveglio tutta la notte.
drip coffee (US), filter coffee (UK) n	(coffee: percolated)	caffè filtrato, caffè filtro nm
		caffè americano nm
	I like drip coffee, not instant.
	Mi piace il caffè filtrato, non quello liofilizzato.
drip coffee maker n	(appliance: percolator)	macchina per caffè filtro nf
		macchina per caffè americano nf
	I must buy some more filters for my drip coffee maker.
	Devo comprare degli altri filtri per la mia macchina per il caffè filtro.
French-press coffee n	(coffee brewed in a cafetière) (preparato in caffettiera a stantuffo)	caffè francese nm
	The coffee shop serves French-press coffee.
iced coffee, also US: ice coffee n	(cold coffee with ice)	caffè in ghiaccio, caffè con ghiaccio, caffè freddo nm
	Sophie was drinking a glass of iced coffee.
Irish coffee n	(coffee with Irish whiskey)	Irish coffee nm
	An Irish coffee topped with cream is a great way of ending a meal.
	ⓘQuesta frase non è una traduzione della frase inglese. Ordiniamo due Irish coffee.
coffee klatch, coffee klatsch, kaffeeklatsch, klatch n	German (social gathering over coffee)	caffè in compagnia nm
liqueur coffee n	(coffee served with liquor)	caffè corretto nm
outdoor coffee-house n	(café: outside seating)	caffè con tavolini all’aperto nm
		bar all’aperto, caffè all’aperto nm
	Outdoor coffee-houses are not very popular in hot climates during the summer.
	I caffè con i tavolini all’aperto d’estate non sono molto popolari nei climi caldi
over coffee adv	informal (while drinking coffee)	con il caffè
robusta coffee n	(coffee made from African tree)	caffè varietà robusta nm
robusta coffee n	(African coffee tree)	coffea robusta nf
robusta coffee n	(African coffee tree seed)	coffea robusta nf
Turkish coffee n	(strong, thick coffee)	caffè turco nm
	Turkish coffee is traditionally boiled with sugar in a special pot called an ibrik.
wake up and smell the coffee v expr	mainly US, figurative, informal (face reality)	guardare in faccia la realtà vtr
	(figurato: guardare in faccia la realtà)	svegliarsi⇒ v rif
coffee with milk (US), white coffee (UK) n	(coffee with milk added)	caffè con latte, caffè con un goccio di latte nm
	I don’t like tea; I prefer white coffee with sugar.
	Non mi piace il tè; preferisco il caffè con latte e zucchero.