grazie per la cena
/ˈɡrat.t͡sje per la ˈt͡ʃe.na/word by word
The English phrase 'thank you for dinner' is translated into Italian as grazie per la cena.
This phrase is used to express gratitude to someone who has provided or hosted a meal in the evening.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of grazie (thanks), per (for), la (the) and cena (dinner).
How does it change in a sentence?
It is grammatically correct to replace the preposition per with di (which becomes della) to say grazie della cena.
How do you pronounce it?
The stress is on the first syllable of the four-syllable word grazie.
When do people say it?
When someone thanks you for a meal, common responses include di nulla or prego. You might also say È stato un piacere cenare con voi to express that it was a pleasure dining with them.
Did you know?
- Because grazie is actually the plural form of the word for 'grace', you are essentially offering 'many graces' to your host.
- In Italy, dinner is often the main event of the day and can start as late as 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM. Saying grazie per la cena might happen long after a typical English dinner time.
- In Italy, it is a common custom to leave a small gift, like flowers or wine, for the host, making the spoken grazie per la cena a secondary part of the gratitude process.
Examples in context
- Grazie per la cena, era squisita!Thank you for dinner, it was exquisite!
- Grazie per la cena di ieri sera.Thank you for dinner last night.
- Volevo solo dirti grazie per la cena.I just wanted to say thank you for dinner.
Example conversation
Chiara is leaving Matteo's house after a lovely meal.
- ChiaraGrazie per la cena, Matteo.Thank you for dinner, Matteo.
- MatteoDi nulla, Chiara, mi ha fatto piacere.You're welcome, Chiara, it was my pleasure.
- ChiaraTutto era delizioso.Everything was delicious.
- MatteoSono felice che ti sia piaciuto.I am happy that you liked it.
