caffè lungo
/kafˈfɛ ˈlun.ɡo/word by word
In Italian, "long black" is called caffè lungo.
This phrase refers to a type of coffee produced by pulling a long shot of espresso with extra water.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Caffè Lungo is especially popular in the northern regions of Italy.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /kafˈfɛ ˈlun.ɡo/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word caffè shares a common ancestor with the Arabic word qahwa, which originally referred to a type of wine before being applied to coffee.
- Ordering a caffè lungo after 11 a.m. is perfectly normal, but ordering a cappuccino after a meal is often seen as a culinary mistake.
- While caffè lungo is common, many Italians prefer a caffè americano, where hot water is added to the espresso after it is brewed rather than during.
Example conversation
Chiara and Francesco are at a cafe.
- ChiaraFrancesco, cosa vuoi bere?Francesco, what do you want to drink?
- FrancescoPer me un caffè lungo, grazie.A long black for me, thanks.
- ChiaraLo prendi con lo zucchero?Do you take it with sugar?
- FrancescoSì, mettine un po' nel caffè lungo.Yes, put a bit in the long black.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (caffè, lungo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caffè, lungo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
