What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cosa (what) and desidera (the third-person singular formal form of the verb desiderare, meaning 'to desire' or 'to wish').
Which one should you use?
While cosa desidera? is used by staff in professional settings, cosa desideri? uses the informal tu form and is used with friends or people you know well. Another formal option is Che cosa gradisce?, which translates to "What do you prefer?" For an informal setting, you might say Cosa prendi?, meaning "What are you going to have?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
cosa desidera? is a formal way to say "What would you like?" This is because the verb desidera follows the Lei (formal 'you') conjugation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The use of the third-person singular verb form desidera makes this a formal way to address a customer, following the Lei (formal 'you') conjugation.
Did you know?
- In Italy, the formal Lei used in cosa desidera? was historically used to address people as 'Your Excellency', meaning the speaker is literally addressing the person's title rather than the person.
- If you respond to cosa desidera? by saying prendo…, you are using a verb that literally means 'I take', which is the standard way to order in Italian.
- The word cosa actually stems from the Latin word 'causa', which originally meant 'cause', 'reason' or 'occasion'.
Examples in context
- Cosa desidera mangiare?What would you like to eat?
- Che cosa gradisce bere?What would you like to drink?
Example conversation
A waiter greets a customer at a restaurant.
- AlessandroBuongiorno, cosa desidera?Good morning, what would you like?
- SofiaVorrei un caffè, per favore.I would like a coffee, please.
- AlessandroCertamente, desidera anche un cornetto?Certainly, would you like a croissant too?
- SofiaSì, grazie mille.Yes, thank you very much.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cosa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
