Which one should you use?
While per favore, posso ordinare? is a direct way to ask, it is very common and natural to add scusi (excuse me) to the beginning, as in scusi, posso ordinare? If you are dining with a group and want to speak on behalf of everyone, you can use the plural form scusi, possiamo ordinare? (excuse me, can we order?) instead of the singular posso (I can).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
per favore, posso ordinare? is a standard polite option. For highly formal situations, you might use Mi scuso per l'inconveniente, ma potrei ordinare, per favore? (I apologize for the inconvenience, but could I order, please?). In Italian, when addressing people formally, the pronoun Lei is used for "you", whereas tu is the informal way to say "you".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase posso ordinare, the verb ordinare remains in its infinitive form because it follows the conjugated modal verb posso.
Did you know?
- While ordinare means 'to order' in a restaurant, it also means 'to tidy up' or 'to organize' in a domestic context. If you use it while cleaning your room, you are not requesting a meal.
- In many Italian restaurants, simply raising a hand or making eye contact with the server is often preferred over calling out posso ordinare?, as shouting can be seen as quite rude.
- In some traditional Italian cafes, it is common to pay at the counter before you ordinare your coffee, whereas in a seated restaurant, you always order before paying.
Examples in context
- Scusi, per favore, posso ordinare?Excuse me, please, may I order?
Example conversation
Sofia is sitting at a cafe and catches the waiter's eye.
- SofiaBuongiorno, per favore, posso ordinare?Good morning, please, may I order?
- AlessandroCertamente, Sofia. Cosa desidera?Certainly, Sofia. What would you like?
- SofiaVorrei un caffè e un cornetto.I would like a coffee and a croissant.
- AlessandroArrivano subito!They will be right there!
