Italian for Beginners: Asking for More Food and Another Serving
Learn to ask for more of something or another portion in Italian using 'Ancora ___, per favore' and 'Posso avere un altro ___?', with polite restaurant and home-dinner examples.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you have already asked for something once, asking again uses different Italian patterns from your first request. This lesson teaches two practical structures: 'Ancora ___, per favore' for 'More ___, please' and 'Posso avere un altro ___?' for 'Can I have another ___?'. You will practice them with food and drink words, learn how to make the request polite, and see how the form changes for masculine and feminine nouns. The focus is repetition: you are not ordering for the first time, you are asking for an additional serving.
By the end, you can…
- ask for more of a food or drink using 'Ancora ___, per favore'
- ask for another item using 'Posso avere un altro ___?' or 'Posso avere un'altra ___?'
- choose the correct form for masculine and feminine nouns when asking for another serving
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ancora pasta, per favore.
More pasta, please.
ahn-KOH-rah PAH-stah, pehr fah-VOH-reh
Use when you want a second serving of the same dish. 'Ancora' means 'more' or 'again' here.
Ancora acqua, per favore.
More water, please.
ahn-KOH-rah AH-kwah, pehr fah-VOH-reh
Works for drinks. You can also say 'Ancora un po' d'acqua, per favore' for 'a little more water, please'.
Posso avere un altro panino?
Can I have another sandwich?
POHS-soh ah-VEH-reh oon AHL-troh pah-NEE-noh
Use 'un altro' before a masculine singular noun. 'Panino' is masculine.
Posso avere un'altra fetta di torta?
Can I have another slice of cake?
POHS-soh ah-VEH-reh oon-AHL-trah FEHT-tah dee TOHR-tah
Use 'un'altra' before a feminine singular noun. 'Fetta' is feminine.
Un altro po', per favore.
A little more, please.
oon AHL-troh poh, pehr fah-VOH-reh
Very common and polite for a small additional amount. 'Po'' is short for 'poco'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For 'More ___, please', the simplest pattern is 'Ancora + noun + per favore'. Examples: 'Ancora pane, per favore' (More bread, please); 'Ancora vino, per favore' (More wine, please). For 'Can I have another ___?', use 'Posso avere un altro + masculine noun?' or 'Posso avere un'altra + feminine noun?'. Examples: 'Posso avere un altro caffè?' (Can I have another coffee?); 'Posso avere un'altra pizza?' (Can I have another pizza?). The ending of 'altro/altra' must match the noun.
When to use it
Use 'Ancora ___, per favore' when the same food or drink is already on the table and you want more of it. Use 'Posso avere un altro/un'altra ___?' when you want one more item, especially a countable portion like a sandwich, a slice, or a coffee. At a restaurant, you can also say 'Per me ancora un po', per favore' to be extra polite. If you are at someone's home, 'Ancora un po', se possibile' sounds grateful and gentle. Note that 'ancora' can also mean 'still' or 'yet' in other contexts; here it means 'more' or 'again'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Questo pane è buonissimo. Ancora pane, per favore.
This bread is very good. More bread, please.KWEH-stoh PAH-neh eh bwoh-NEES-see-moh. ahn-KOH-rah PAH-neh, pehr fah-VOH-rehCerto! Ecco il pane. Vuoi anche un altro po' d'acqua?
Of course! Here is the bread. Do you also want a little more water?CHEHR-toh! EHK-koh eel PAH-neh. VWOH-ee ahn-KEH oon AHL-troh poh DAH-kwahSì, grazie. Posso avere un'altra fetta di torta?
Yes, thank you. Can I have another slice of cake?see, GRAH-tsee-eh. POHS-soh ah-VEH-reh oon-AHL-trah FEHT-tah dee TOHR-tahCerto, te la porto subito.
Of course, I'll bring it to you right away.CHEHR-toh, teh lah POHR-toh SOO-bee-tohA little context goes a long way
In Italian homes and restaurants, 'per favore' and 'grazie' are expected in these requests, and a warm tone matters more than perfect grammar. 'Ancora un po'' is softer than a direct 'Ancora', especially with older hosts. In some southern regions you may hear 'ancora nu poco' in local dialect, but standard Italian 'ancora un po'' is understood everywhere. Avoid clicking fingers or calling 'Cameriere!' to ask for more; use 'Scusi' or 'Per favore' instead. In many Italian restaurants, bread and water are already on the table, so asking for more is common and not considered rude.
One thing to watch for
Using 'un altro' with a feminine noun, as in 'Posso avere un altro fetta di torta?'
Try this instead: Match the form to the noun's gender: 'Posso avere un'altra fetta di torta?' 'Fetta' is feminine, so use 'un'altra'. For a masculine noun, use 'un altro': 'Posso avere un altro caffè?'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'More water, please' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Ancora acqua, per favore.
'Ancora' means 'more' here, and 'per favore' makes it polite. You can also say 'Ancora un po' d'acqua, per favore' if you want just a little more.
2Complete the sentence for a feminine noun: 'Posso avere ___ pizza?'
Show a sample answer
Posso avere un'altra pizza?
'Pizza' is feminine singular, so 'un'altra' is correct. 'Un altro' would be wrong here because it is masculine.
3You want one more coffee. Which phrase is better: 'Ancora caffè, per favore' or 'Posso avere un altro caffè?'
Show a sample answer
Posso avere un altro caffè?
Both can work, but 'Posso avere un altro caffè?' clearly asks for one additional coffee. 'Ancora caffè, per favore' is also acceptable when you simply want more coffee in your cup.
For a second serving, use 'Ancora ___, per favore' for more of the same, and 'Posso avere un altro/un'altra ___?' for one more item. Always match 'altro' or 'altra' to the noun's gender, and keep 'per favore' and 'grazie' in your request.
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