Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Let's take a closer look at the conversation.
Do you remember how Mark asks for a menu?
"Excuse me, a menu, please."
Scusi, un menù, per favore.
First is scusi, meaning, ''Excuse me.'' Scusi. Scusi.
Here, Mark is using the expression to get someone's attention. He uses the formal form since he's using it with someone he doesn't know.
Note, this expression can also be used as a mild apology, but here Mark uses it to get the attention of the waiter who is nearby.
Next is the phrase un menù meaning ''a menu.'' Un menù.
Let's start with the word menù, ''menu.'' Menù. Menù.
In Italian, all nouns have grammatical gender and are either singular or plural. Menù is masculine and singular — a fact which will determine the form of other words in the sentence.
Before this is un, ''a,'' think of this like the English ''a,'' as in a menu. Un. Un.
Un is also masculine and singular to agree with menù.
Together, it's un menù, ''a menu''. Un menù.
Last is per favore, "please." Per favore. Per favore.
All together, it's Scusi, un menù, per favore. ''Excuse me, a menu, please.''
Scusi, un menù, per favore.
Let's take a closer look at the response.
Do you remember the waiter's response,
"Yes, right away."
Sì, subito.
First is the expression Sì, "yes." Sì. Sì.
The waiter acknowledges Mark by saying, Sì. "Yes." Sì. Sì.
Next is subito, literally, ''immediately,'' but translates as "right away." Subito. Subito.
All together, it's Sì, subito, literally, "Yes, immediately," but in more natural English, ''Yes, right away.''
Sì, subito.
The pattern is
Scusi, {ITEM}, per favore.
"Excuse me, {ITEM}, please.''
Scusi, {ITEM}, per favore.
Make sure to include the appropriate article before the noun.
To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the object you are requesting.
Imagine you'd like to order a coffee. Un caffè. Un caffè.
caffè. ''Coffee.'' caffè. caffè.
Caffè is masculine and singular.
Before this is un. ''A.'' Un.
Un is masculine singular to agree with caffè.
Together, Un caffè.
Say
''Excuse me, a coffee, please.''
Ready?
Scusi, un caffè, per favore.
"Excuse me, a coffee, please."
Scusi, un caffè, per favore.
For this lesson, let's review indefinite articles for singular nouns.
Indefinite articles are short words that are used to introduce nouns. In English the indefinite article is ''a,'' as in ''a menu.''
The masculine indefinite articles are un, as in un menù, and uno, in certain cases.
When the following word starts with st, sp, gn, ps, z, y, x or pn.
The feminine indefinite article is una, as in una pizza margherita, a pizza margherita, and un', when the following word begins with a vowel, as in un'occasione, an occasion.

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