pausa caffè
/ˈpaw.za kafˈfɛ/word by wordfeminine
The English phrase 'coffee break' is translated into Italian as pausa caffè.
pausa caffè refers to a rest period during the business day that provides the opportunity to drink coffee. For example, you would say fare una pausa caffè.
Meaning: a rest period during the business day providing the opportunity to drink coffee (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun pausa caffè is feminine. To express the plural 'coffee breaks', only the noun changes to its plural form, resulting in pause caffè.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpaw.za kafˈfɛ/. The word has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- Ordering a cappuccino during a pausa caffè in the afternoon is often viewed as a strange choice, as milk-heavy coffees are traditionally reserved for breakfast.
- The word caffè shares an unexpected distant ancestor with the Arabic word qahwa, which originally referred to a type of wine before being applied to coffee.
- It is common to pay for a colleague's coffee during a pausa caffè as a gesture of goodwill, with the expectation that they will return the favor later.
Examples in context
- Facciamo una pausa caffè.Let's take a coffee break.This sentence is useful for suggesting that you and others take a coffee break.Tatoeba #1293415 by rado, translation #349811 by human600
- Sami fece una pausa caffè.Sami took a coffee break.This sentence is useful for describing that someone took a coffee break.Tatoeba #13287150 by Guybrush88, translation #6542916 by OsoHombre
- Facciamo una pausa caffè, OK?Let's take a coffee break, shall we?This sentence is useful for suggesting a coffee break as a question.Tatoeba #1543055 by Guybrush88, translation #34651 by CM
- Siamo stanchi, facciamo una pausa caffè e ci ricarichiamo un po'.We are tired, let's take a coffee break and recharge a little.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in a modern office.
- GiuliaÈ ora della pausa caffè, Matteo?Is it time for a coffee break, Matteo?
- MatteoSì, ho proprio bisogno di una pausa caffè.Yes, I really need a coffee break.
- GiuliaAndiamo in cucina?Shall we go to the kitchen?
- MatteoAndiamo, Giulia.Let's go, Giulia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffee break” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (pausa, caffè) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caffè, pausa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
