How to Say 'I Am Making ___' in Italian: Describing the Dish You're Preparing
Learn to say what dish you are making in Italian with sto preparando and sto facendo, name the dish, and add simple details about its ingredients and style.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
To say what dish you are making right now, Italian uses the present progressive: sto + preparando or sto + facendo, followed by the name of the dish. This lesson keeps the focus on the dish itself, not on individual cooking actions, so you will learn to say things like 'Sto preparando la lasagna' (I am making lasagna) and add a short description such as 'con la besciamella' (with béchamel). You will also learn how to ask someone what they are making and how to describe the main ingredients in a simple, natural way.
By the end, you can…
- say which dish I am making using sto preparando or sto facendo
- name common Italian dishes with the correct article
- add a short description of the dish with con, al or alla
- ask another person what dish they are making
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Sto preparando la pasta al forno.
I am making baked pasta.
stoh preh-pah-RAHN-doh lah PAH-stah ahl FOHR-noh
The most natural way to say you are making a specific dish right now.
Sto facendo una torta di mele.
I am making an apple cake.
stoh fah-CHEHN-doh OO-nah TOHR-tah dee MEH-leh
Use sto facendo especially with dolci (sweets) and dishes that do not need much explanation.
Oggi preparo il risotto ai funghi.
Today I am making mushroom risotto.
OH-jee preh-PAH-roh eel ree-ZOHT-toh eye FOON-ghee
The simple present can describe a plan for today; it sounds slightly less immediate than sto preparando.
Che cosa stai preparando?
What are you making?
keh KOH-zah stai preh-pah-RAHN-doh
A friendly question to ask what dish someone is preparing.
È un primo piatto con la besciamella.
It is a first course with béchamel.
eh oon PREE-moh PYAHT-toh kohn lah beh-shah-MEHL-lah
Use this to describe the dish's course and one main ingredient.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is sto + preparando/facendo + article + dish. Use sto preparando for a dish you are actively assembling, and sto facendo for a more general 'making'. Examples: Sto preparando la lasagna. Sto facendo una pizza margherita. To describe the dish, add con + ingredient: Sto preparando un risotto con i funghi. For a style or topping, use al/alla: pasta al pomodoro, pizza alla marinara.
When to use it
Use these phrases when someone asks what you are doing in the kitchen or when you want to announce the dish you are making. If you are simply stating today's plan, the simple present works: Oggi preparo la parmigiana. If the dish is happening right now, the progressive is better: Sto preparando la parmigiana. In northern Italy you may hear essere dietro a preparare, but sto preparando is standard everywhere.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ciao! Che cosa stai preparando?
Hi! What are you making?CHOW keh KOH-zah stai preh-pah-RAHN-dohSto preparando la pasta al forno.
I am making baked pasta.stoh preh-pah-RAHN-doh lah PAH-stah ahl FOHR-nohChe tipo di pasta è?
What kind of pasta is it?keh TEE-poh dee PAH-stah ehÈ un primo piatto con la besciamella e il ragù.
It is a first course with béchamel and meat sauce.eh oon PREE-moh PYAHT-toh kohn lah beh-shah-MEHL-lah eh eel rah-GOOA little context goes a long way
In Italian homes, the name of a dish often includes its course: primo (first course), secondo (main), contorno (side). Saying è un primo piatto con... is a natural way to describe what you are making. Regional names vary: in some areas pasta al forno is called pasta imbottita, and a baked pasta with béchamel may be called pasticcio. Standard Italian uses preparare and fare; both are correct, but preparare sounds a little more careful.
One thing to watch for
Saying Sto preparando una lasagna instead of Sto preparando la lasagna when talking about the classic dish.
Try this instead: Both are grammatical, but the definite article is common for a known dish: Sto preparando la lasagna. Use una lasagna when you mean one tray or a non-specific portion: Sto preparando una lasagna per la cena. The article changes the focus from the dish type to a single item.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I am making a mushroom risotto' using the progressive?
Show a sample answer
Sto preparando un risotto ai funghi.
Sto preparando is the progressive, un risotto is the dish, and ai funghi describes the style. Sto facendo un risotto ai funghi is also correct.
2Which article would you use with pizza in Sto facendo ___ pizza margherita?
Show a sample answer
una
Pizza is feminine singular, so una is used for one pizza. La pizza margherita would refer to the dish in general.
3How do you ask a friend what dish they are making?
Show a sample answer
Che cosa stai preparando?
This is the standard informal question. Che cosa stai facendo? is also possible but less specific to cooking.
Use sto preparando or sto facendo + article + dish to say what you are making, then add con, al or alla to describe the dish's ingredients or style.
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