How to Say What You Need for a Recipe in Italian: 'Prima, mi serve...'
Learn to list ingredients for a simple dish in Italian using 'Prima, mi serve' and 'Prima, mi servono', with correct articles and plural forms.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you cook in Italian, you often need to say what a recipe requires before you start. The key structure is 'Prima, mi serve...' for one item and 'Prima, mi servono...' for more than one. This lesson teaches you to name basic ingredients for a simple dish, choose the right article, and make the verb agree with singular and plural nouns. You will also learn to ask 'Cosa ti serve?' and answer naturally.
By the end, you can…
- say what I need first for a simple recipe using 'Prima, mi serve' and 'Prima, mi servono'.
- name common ingredients with the correct Italian article and plural form.
- ask someone what they need for a dish and understand a short answer.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Prima, mi serve la farina.
First, I need the flour.
PREE-mah, mee SEHR-veh lah fah-REE-nah
Use 'mi serve' with one singular item. 'La farina' is a feminine singular noun.
Prima, mi servono due uova.
First, I need two eggs.
PREE-mah, mee sehr-VOH-noh DOO-eh WOH-vah
Use 'mi servono' with two or more items. 'Due uova' is plural; the singular is 'un uovo' (masculine).
Mi serve anche un po' di latte.
I also need a little milk.
mee SEHR-veh AN-keh oon poh dee LAHT-teh
'Un po' di' means 'a little' or 'some'. Use it with uncountable ingredients like milk, water, or oil.
Cosa ti serve per la pasta?
What do you need for the pasta?
KOH-zah tee SEHR-veh pehr lah PAHS-tah
A direct question to ask what someone needs. 'Ti' means 'to you' here.
Prima, mi serve la padella.
First, I need the frying pan.
PREE-mah, mee SEHR-veh lah pah-DEHL-lah
'La padella' is a feminine singular noun. Use 'mi serve' because it is one item.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The verb 'servire' works like 'to need' in this structure. Use 'mi serve' plus one singular thing: 'Mi serve il sale.' Use 'mi servono' plus two or more things: 'Mi servono due pomodori.' The noun after the verb keeps its own article: 'la cipolla', 'lo zucchero', 'l'olio', 'i pomodori'. For uncountable items, use 'un po' di': 'Mi serve un po' d'acqua.'
When to use it
Use this pattern when you are preparing a dish and listing what you need before cooking. Start with 'Prima' to mean 'first'. For example: 'Prima, mi serve la farina. Poi, mi servono le uova.' If you are asking someone else, say 'Cosa ti serve?' To answer for yourself, say 'Mi serve...' or 'Mi servono...'. This is different from grocery shopping, where you might say 'Vorrei comprare...' (I would like to buy...). Here you focus on what the recipe requires.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Cosa ti serve per la frittata?
What do you need for the omelette?KOH-zah tee SEHR-veh pehr lah freet-TAH-tahPrima, mi servono tre uova e un po' di latte.
First, I need three eggs and a little milk.PREE-mah, mee sehr-VOH-noh treh WOH-vah eh oon poh dee LAHT-tehTi serve anche il formaggio?
Do you also need the cheese?tee SEHR-veh AN-keh eel fohr-MAHD-johSì, mi serve il formaggio grattugiato.
Yes, I need grated cheese.see, mee SEHR-veh eel fohr-MAHD-joh graht-too-JAH-tohA little context goes a long way
In Italian kitchens, 'mi serve' is common in everyday speech, but in a more formal context, such as a cooking class, you might hear 'mi occorre' or 'ho bisogno di'. 'Ho bisogno di' means 'I need' and is followed by a noun: 'Ho bisogno di due uova.' Regional differences exist: in some southern regions, 'mi serve' may be replaced by 'mi abbisogna', but this is less common in standard contemporary Italian. Stick with 'mi serve' and 'mi servono' for clarity.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Prima, mi serve due uova' because you use 'serve' for all needs.
Try this instead: Use 'mi servono' with plural nouns: 'Prima, mi servono due uova.' Use 'mi serve' only with one singular item: 'Prima, mi serve un uovo.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'First, I need the flour' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Prima, mi serve la farina.
'Mi serve' is correct because 'la farina' is singular. 'Prima' means 'first'. You could also say 'Per prima cosa, mi serve la farina', which is a valid alternative.
2Complete: 'Prima, mi ___ due pomodori.'
Show a sample answer
servono
'Due pomodori' is plural, so you need 'servono'. If you said 'mi serve', it would be incorrect because the verb must agree with the plural noun.
3Ask someone 'What do you need for the pasta?' in Italian.
Show a sample answer
Cosa ti serve per la pasta?
This is the standard question. You could also say 'Di cosa hai bisogno per la pasta?' which is more formal but correct.
Use 'Prima, mi serve' for one item and 'Prima, mi servono' for more than one. Always match the verb to the number of things you need, and keep the correct article on each ingredient.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Italian into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr