lista d'attesa
feminine
The English phrase "waiting list" is lista d'attesa in Italian.
lista d'attesa refers to an ordered list of people waiting to obtain a good or service. If you want to express the action of joining one, use the phrase mettere in lista d'attesa (to put on a waiting list). In specific healthcare settings, the term Registro dei pazienti in attesa may be used to refer specifically to a patient waiting list.
Meaning: ordered list of people waiting to obtain a good or service (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a contraction of lista di attesa, meaning "list of waiting". The preposition di (of) elides into d’ before the vowel in attesa (waiting).
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural, only the noun changes: liste d'attesa means "waiting lists". The part d'attesa remains singular.
Did you know?
- The word lista did not originate from Classical Latin, but instead entered the language through Vulgar Latin via Germanic tribes like the Franks or Lombards.
- While you might be on a lista d'attesa for a doctor, the actual bureaucracy managing your spot is called the CUP, short for Centro Unico di Prenotazione.
- In Italian, the word attesa describes both the act of waiting and the feeling of 'expectation'. This means a lista d'attesa can imply a sense of anticipation rather than just a boring delay.
Examples in context
- C'è una lista d'attesa.There's a waiting list.This sentence is useful for stating that a waiting list exists.Tatoeba #5020621 by Guybrush88, translation #5020479 by CK
- Quel tour ha già una lista d'attesa.That tour already has a waiting list.This sentence is useful for saying a specific tour already has a waiting list.Tatoeba #12039852 by Guybrush88, translation #68674 by CM
- Potresti mettere il mio nome in lista d'attesa?Could you put my name on the waiting list?This sentence is useful for asking to be put on a waiting list.Tatoeba #794980 by Guybrush88, translation #63152 by CM
- Domani chiameremo le persone dalla lista d'attesa.Tomorrow, we will call the people from the waiting list.
- È in corso la compilazione del registro dei pazienti in attesa.The compilation of the waiting list for patients is underway.
- Mi han messo nella lista d'attesa per il nuovo ristorante del quartiere.They put me on the waiting list for the new neighborhood restaurant.
- Non so ancora se sarò nel registro dei pazienti in attesa per l'intervento chirurgico.I don't know yet if I'll be in the waiting list for the surgery.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo is calling a restaurant to book a table.
- LorenzoVorrei prenotare un tavolo per stasera.I would like to book a table for tonight.
- GiuliaSiamo pieni, ma posso metterla in lista d'attesa.We are full, but I can put you on the waiting list.
- LorenzoQuanto è lunga la lista d'attesa?How long is the waiting list?
- GiuliaCi sono solo due persone davanti a lei.There are only two people ahead of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “waiting list” translations and entries lista d'attesa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lista, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
