Italian for Bocce: Asking Whose Turn It Is and How the Order Is Set
Learn casual Italian to ask who throws next in bocce, say whose turn it is with tocca a, and check how the local turn order works.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In a casual bocce game, the practical question is not just who throws next, but how the order was decided in the first place. In Italian you can ask this naturally with a few short patterns. The key expression is tocca a, which means it is someone's turn. You also need tirare (to throw), ordine (order), and squadra (team). This lesson gives you reusable questions for players and staff at a neighborhood campo, without assuming that every court follows the same local rules.
By the end, you can…
- ask who throws next in a casual bocce game
- ask how the turn order was decided
- say whose turn it is using tocca a
- check whether we are playing in teams or as individuals
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
A chi tocca?
Whose turn is it?
ah kee TOHK-kah
Short, casual question used while players are standing near the court. It asks who is next, not who is winning.
Tocca a me o a te?
Is it my turn or yours?
TOHK-kah ah meh oh ah teh
Use when you are standing with one other player and want to confirm the next throw.
Come decidete l'ordine?
How do you decide the order?
KOH-meh deh-CHEE-deh-teh LOHR-dee-neh
A neutral way to ask about the local arrangement before or during a game. It does not assume a fixed rule.
Si gioca a squadre o singoli?
Are we playing in teams or as individuals?
see JOH-kah ah SKWAH-treh oh SEEN-goh-lee
Useful when you join a group and do not yet know the format. Squadre means teams; singoli means individuals.
Chi tira per primo?
Who throws first?
kee TEE-rah pehr PREE-moh
Ask this at the start of a game or after a break. Tirare is the normal verb for throwing the bocce ball.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern tocca a + person means it is that person's turn. Say Tocca a me (it is my turn), Tocca a te (it is your turn), Tocca a lui (it is his turn), Tocca a lei (it is her turn), or Tocca a Marco (it is Marco's turn). To ask a question, put a chi at the front: A chi tocca? This is the most natural casual way to ask who throws next. Do not translate English 'whose turn' word for word; use this fixed expression instead.
When to use it
Use A chi tocca? during a game when the next throw is unclear. Use Come decidete l'ordine? when you want to know how the sequence was set, for example whether players alternate, whether the closest ball decides the next throw, or whether the team that scored throws first. Use Chi tira per primo? at the very beginning. Keep the register casual with players; with staff, a polite opening such as Scusi, a chi tocca? works well. Local rules vary, so treat the answer as information about that court, not as a universal rule.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Scusa, a chi tocca adesso?
Sorry, whose turn is it now?SKOO-zah, ah kee TOHK-kah ah-DEHS-sohTocca a te. Io ho già tirato.
It is your turn. I have already thrown.TOHK-kah ah teh. EE-oh oh jah tee-RAH-tohAh, ok. E come decidete l'ordine?
Ah, okay. And how do you decide the order?ah, oh-KAY. eh KOH-meh deh-CHEE-deh-teh LOHR-dee-nehQui si gioca a squadre e si alterna. Ma dipende dal campo.
Here we play in teams and we alternate. But it depends on the court.kwee see JOH-kah ah SKWAH-treh eh see ahl-TEHR-nah. mah dee-PEHN-deh dahl KAHM-pohA little context goes a long way
Bocce is often played casually in neighborhood courts, and the exact order can change from one group or campo to another. In many places players alternate throws, but the rule may depend on who is closest to the pallino or on local custom. Asking Come decidete l'ordine? is normal and shows that you are paying attention without imposing an outside rule. Use tu with players your age or younger; use Lei with staff or older players you do not know.
One thing to watch for
Saying È il mio turno? as a direct translation of 'Is it my turn?'
Try this instead: It is understandable, but the natural casual expression is Tocca a me? For example, when you are unsure before throwing, ask A chi tocca? or Tocca a me? The verb toccare is used in this fixed expression, not turno.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Whose turn is it?' in a casual game?
Show a sample answer
A chi tocca?
This is the standard short question. Tocca a me? is also correct when you specifically mean 'Is it my turn?'
2How do you say 'It is Marco's turn'?
Show a sample answer
Tocca a Marco.
The pattern is tocca a + person. Tocca a lui is also correct if you mean 'It is his turn.'
3How do you ask whether the game is played in teams or as individuals?
Show a sample answer
Si gioca a squadre o singoli?
This asks about the format. A possible answer is Si gioca a squadre, meaning 'We play in teams.'
For bocce, remember A chi tocca? for 'Whose turn is it?' and Tocca a + person to say whose turn it is. Ask Come decidete l'ordine? to learn the local arrangement, because turn order can vary from court to court.
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