Italian for Ordering: Fixing a Dish That Arrived Wrong
Learn to say 'I ordered this without cheese' in Italian and politely ask a server to correct a dish that was prepared incorrectly.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When a dish arrives with an ingredient you asked to leave out, the problem is not a missing item — it is incorrect preparation. In Italian restaurants, you need a clear, polite way to say what you ordered and ask for it to be fixed. This lesson gives you the exact phrases for that situation, using the model 'I ordered this without cheese'. You will learn how to state your original order, point out the mistake, and request a replacement without sounding rude.
By the end, you can…
- say what I originally ordered using 'Ho ordinato'.
- explain that a dish was prepared incorrectly, not that an item is missing.
- politely ask a server to fix or replace a dish.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ho ordinato questo senza formaggio.
I ordered this without cheese.
oh or-dee-NAH-toh KWEH-stoh SEN-tsah for-MAHD-joh
Use this to state your original order clearly. 'Questo' points to the dish in front of you.
C'è un problema con questo piatto.
There is a problem with this dish.
cheh oon proh-BLEH-mah kon KWEH-stoh PYAHT-toh
A neutral, polite way to open the complaint before giving details.
Non l'ho ordinato con il formaggio.
I didn't order it with cheese.
non loh or-dee-NAH-toh kon eel for-MAHD-joh
Use the negative to stress that cheese was not part of your order.
Potete rifarlo, per favore?
Could you make it again, please?
poh-TEH-teh ree-FAR-loh pehr fah-VOH-reh
'Potete' is the plural 'you' used with restaurant staff. It asks for a corrected version.
Senza formaggio, per favore.
Without cheese, please.
SEN-tsah for-MAHD-joh pehr fah-VOH-reh
A short reminder you can use when ordering or when the dish arrives wrong.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use 'Ho ordinato...' (I ordered...) plus 'senza' (without) plus the ingredient. For example: 'Ho ordinato la pasta senza formaggio' (I ordered the pasta without cheese). To ask for a fix, use 'Potete...?' plus an infinitive: 'Potete rifarlo?' (Can you make it again?). 'Rifarlo' means 'to make it again', with 'lo' referring to the dish.
When to use it
Use these phrases when the dish is wrong because of how it was prepared, not because something is missing. If a side dish never arrived, say 'Manca il contorno' (The side dish is missing). If the kitchen added cheese you did not order, say 'C'è il formaggio e io non l'ho ordinato' (There is cheese and I didn't order it). Keep your tone calm and factual; in most Italian restaurants, a clear explanation is enough.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Scusi, c'è un problema con questo piatto.
Excuse me, there is a problem with this dish.SKOO-zee, cheh oon proh-BLEH-mah kon KWEH-stoh PYAHT-tohMi dica, che cosa succede?
Tell me, what happened?mee DEE-kah, keh KOH-zah soot-CHEH-dehHo ordinato questo senza formaggio, ma c'è il formaggio.
I ordered this without cheese, but there is cheese.oh or-dee-NAH-toh KWEH-stoh SEN-tsah for-MAHD-joh, mah cheh eel for-MAHD-johMi scusi, lo faccio rifare subito.
I'm sorry, I'll have it made again right away.mee SKOO-zee, loh FAH-choh ree-FAH-reh SOO-bee-tohA little context goes a long way
In Italy, 'scusi' is the polite singular 'excuse me' for strangers, while 'scusate' addresses several people. When speaking to restaurant staff, the polite singular 'può' is the safest choice: 'Può rifarlo?' The plural 'potete' is also used and is common in everyday service situations, though it can sound slightly more familiar depending on the region and the setting.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Non c'è il formaggio' to mean 'I ordered this without cheese'.
Try this instead: 'Non c'è il formaggio' means 'There is no cheese' and describes a missing item. For incorrect preparation, say 'Ho ordinato questo senza formaggio' or 'Non l'ho ordinato con il formaggio'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I ordered this without cheese' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Ho ordinato questo senza formaggio.
This uses 'Ho ordinato' plus 'questo' and 'senza formaggio'. You can also say 'L'ho ordinato senza formaggio' if the dish is already clear from context.
2A dish arrives with cheese, but you asked for no cheese. Which phrase asks the server to make it again?
Show a sample answer
Potete rifarlo, per favore?
'Potete rifarlo' asks 'Can you make it again?' The plural 'potete' is common with restaurant staff. 'Può rifarlo, per favore?' is also correct and slightly more formal.
3What is the difference between 'Manca il contorno' and 'Ho ordinato questo senza formaggio'?
Show a sample answer
'Manca il contorno' means a side dish is missing; 'Ho ordinato questo senza formaggio' means the dish was prepared incorrectly with an ingredient you did not order.
The first describes a missing item, the second describes incorrect preparation. Both are useful, but they solve different problems.
To fix a wrongly prepared dish, say what you ordered: 'Ho ordinato questo senza formaggio', then ask politely: 'Potete rifarlo, per favore?'
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