Italian for Hosting: Invite Someone to Dinner at Home
Learn to invite someone to dinner at your home in Italian, suggest a time, and respond to a home dinner invitation politely.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
Inviting someone to dinner at your home is different from asking them to a restaurant. In Italian, the key phrase is 'Ti va di venire a cena a casa mia?' (Would you like to come for dinner at my house?). This lesson teaches you how to extend a home dinner invitation, suggest a day and time, and respond naturally. You will also learn the difference between a home invitation and a restaurant invitation, so you sound like a real host, not a tour guide.
By the end, you can…
- invite someone to dinner at my home in Italian.
- suggest a day and time for a home dinner.
- accept or decline a home dinner invitation politely.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ti va di venire a cena a casa mia?
Would you like to come for dinner at my house?
tee vah dee veh-NEE-reh ah CHEH-nah ah KAH-zah MEE-ah
Friendly, informal invitation to a peer or friend. Literally 'Does it go to you to come to dinner at my house?'
Le va di venire a cena a casa mia?
Would you like to come for dinner at my house? (formal)
leh vah dee veh-NEE-reh ah CHEH-nah ah KAH-zah MEE-ah
Formal version for someone you address with Lei, such as a new colleague or an older acquaintance.
Sabato sera alle otto ti va bene?
Does Saturday evening at eight work for you?
SAH-bah-toh SEH-rah AHL-leh OHT-toh tee vah BEH-neh
Suggests a specific day and time. 'Ti va bene?' asks if the time suits the other person.
Grazie, vengo volentieri!
Thanks, I'd love to come!
GRAH-tsee-eh VEN-goh voh-len-TYEH-ree
Warm, natural acceptance. 'Volentieri' means gladly and is very common in invitations.
Mi dispiace, non posso. Sarà per la prossima volta.
I'm sorry, I can't. Maybe next time.
mee dee-SPYAH-cheh nohn POHS-soh sah-RAH per lah PROHS-see-mah VOHL-tah
Polite refusal. 'Sarà per la prossima volta' keeps the relationship warm and leaves the door open.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 'Ti va di + infinitive?' for informal invitations and 'Le va di + infinitive?' for formal ones. Examples: 'Ti va di venire a cena a casa mia?' (Would you like to come to dinner at my house?), 'Le va di bere qualcosa a casa nostra?' (Would you like to have something to drink at our place?). To suggest a time, use a day plus 'alle' plus the hour: 'venerdì alle sette' (Friday at seven), 'domenica alle otto e mezza' (Sunday at eight thirty).
When to use it
Use these phrases when you are the host and the meal is at your home. If you invite someone to a restaurant, say 'Ti va di andare fuori a cena?' or 'Ti va di venire al ristorante?', not 'a casa mia'. For a home invitation, it is normal to mention the address or say 'a casa mia' or 'da me'. Example: 'Ti va di venire a cena da me sabato?' (Would you like to come to dinner at my place on Saturday?). If you are not sure about the time, ask 'A che ora ti va bene?' (What time works for you?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ciao Marco! Ti va di venire a cena a casa mia sabato sera?
Hi Marco! Would you like to come for dinner at my house Saturday evening?CHAH-oh MAR-koh tee vah dee veh-NEE-reh ah CHEH-nah ah KAH-zah MEE-ah SAH-bah-toh SEH-rahCiao! Volentieri! A che ora?
Hi! I'd love to! What time?CHAH-oh voh-len-TYEH-ree ah keh OH-rahAlle otto. Ti va bene?
At eight. Does that work for you?AHL-leh OHT-toh tee vah BEH-nehPerfetto, alle otto da te. Grazie!
Perfect, eight at your place. Thanks!per-FEHT-toh AHL-leh OHT-toh dah teh GRAH-tsee-ehA little context goes a long way
In Italy, a home dinner invitation is usually warmer and more personal than a restaurant invitation. Guests often bring a small gift such as wine, dessert, or flowers, but it is not obligatory. If you are the host, you may say 'Non portare niente' (Don't bring anything), but guests often still bring something small. In southern regions, meals at home can start later, around 8:30 or 9 p.m., while in northern cities 8 p.m. is common. When in doubt, ask 'A che ora ti va bene?'
One thing to watch for
Using 'Ti va di venire al ristorante a casa mia?' or mixing restaurant and home invitations.
Try this instead: Choose one location. For home: 'Ti va di venire a cena a casa mia?' For restaurant: 'Ti va di andare fuori a cena?' or 'Ti va di venire al ristorante?' Do not say 'al ristorante a casa mia', because a restaurant is not at your home.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you informally invite a friend to dinner at your home?
Show a sample answer
Ti va di venire a cena a casa mia?
This uses 'Ti va di' plus the infinitive 'venire' and specifies 'a casa mia'. A valid alternative is 'Ti va di venire a cena da me?'
2Suggest Saturday at eight o'clock in a way that asks if it works.
Show a sample answer
Sabato alle otto ti va bene?
This gives a day and time and asks for confirmation with 'ti va bene?'. You could also say 'Sabato sera alle otto ti va bene?'
3How do you politely decline a home dinner invitation?
Show a sample answer
Mi dispiace, non posso. Sarà per la prossima volta.
This refuses politely and keeps the relationship warm. Another valid option is 'Mi dispiace, non posso venire. Grazie comunque.'
Use 'Ti va di venire a cena a casa mia?' for informal home dinner invitations, 'Le va di...' for formal ones, and always suggest a clear day and time with 'alle...'. Keep home and restaurant invitations separate.
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