prenotare
/pre.noˈta.re/
To make a reservation in Italian is to prenotare.
Depending on the context, Italians often use specific phrases: in a restaurant, you would say prenotare un tavolo (to book a table) and in a hotel, you would say prenotare una stanza (to book a room).
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun form of the verb prenotare is prenotazione (reservation). If you want to describe something that has already been booked, you use the past participle prenotato (reserved/booked). To state that you have made a reservation, you can use the first-person singular past tense ho prenotato (I have reserved/I booked).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has four syllables and the stress is on the third syllable: /pre.noˈta.re/.
Did you know?
- While English speakers 'book' a room, prenotare shares a conceptual root with 'prenotification', emphasizing the act of notifying the venue beforehand.
- The verb prenotare is a direct descendant of the Latin verb 'praenotāre', which literally meant 'to mark out beforehand'.
- In many Italian hotels, you will encounter the word camera rather than stanza when discussing your reservation, as camera specifically refers to the room intended for sleeping.
Examples in context
- Buongiorno, vorrei prenotare una camera per due persone dal 15 al 18 luglio.Good morning, I would like to book a room for two people from July 15th to July 18th.
- Buonasera, vorrei prenotare un tavolo per stasera alle 8, per tre persone.Good evening, I would like to reserve a table for three people tonight at 8 o'clock.
- Ciao, vorrei prenotare una camera per il weekend. Siamo in due.Hi, I would like to book a room for the weekend. We are two people.
- Salve, potrei prenotare un tavolo per domani sera alle 20. Siamo in quattro.Hello, could I reserve a table for tomorrow night at 8 o'clock? We are four people.
- Devo prenotare un tavolo per stasera.I need to make a reservation for a table for tonight.
- È possibile prenotare online?Is it possible to make a reservation online?
- Vorrei prenotare una camera doppia.I would like to make a reservation for a double room.
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo are discussing dinner plans over the phone.
- GiuliaMatteo, vuoi prenotare il ristorante?Matteo, do you want to make a reservation at the restaurant?
- MatteoSì, lo faccio subito.Yes, I will do it right away.
- GiuliaGrazie, preferisco un tavolo all'aperto.Thank you, I prefer an outdoor table.
- MatteoVa bene, controllo se è possibile.All right, I will check if it is possible.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry prenotare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries prenotare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
