In this workshop you practise a short restaurant exchange in Italian. You will ask what today's special is, listen to a reply that names the dish and the price, and ask whether it contains meat. The recordings give you the exact lines to use, so you can repeat them aloud and then swap roles with a partner or with the audio.
Asking the opening question
The simplest way to ask about the special is «Qual è il piatto del giorno?», which means "What is today's special?" A slightly different version is «Cosa c'è come speciale oggi?», meaning "What is there as a special today?" You can also ask whether a daily menu exists with «C'è un menù del giorno?», which means "Is there a daily menu?" When you greet the staff first, you can use «Buongiorno, qual è il piatto del giorno?», which means "Good morning, what is today's special?" Practise each line slowly, then at a natural speed. Keep your voice calm and friendly, and make the question sound like a real request for information.
Understanding the reply
A common answer names the dish and the price. «Il piatto del giorno è...» means "The dish of the day is..." and it introduces the dish. The full reply in the recording is «Oggi il piatto del giorno è pasta al pomodoro e basilico. Costa dodici euro.», which means "Today the dish of the day is pasta with tomato and basil. It costs twelve euros." Listen for the dish name first, then for the price. If you want to check one ingredient, you can ask «Contiene carne?», which means "Does it contain meat?" The answer in the recording is «No, è vegetariano. Vuole ordinarlo?», which means "No, it is vegetarian. Do you want to order it?" Notice that the reply answers your question and then asks a new one.
Keeping the roles clear
In this exchange one person is the customer and the other is the staff member. The customer asks the opening question, the staff member gives the dish and the price, the customer asks about meat, and the staff member answers and asks about ordering. When you swap roles, the order of the exchange stays the same: question, reply, follow-up question, answer. Only who reads each part changes. If you practise alone, you can read the customer lines aloud and let the audio or a partner read the staff lines, then swap.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Qual è il piatto del giorno?
What is today's special?
kwahl eh eel PYAHT-toh del JOHR-noh
C'è un menù del giorno?
Is there a daily menu?
cheh oon meh-NOO del JOHR-noh
Cosa c'è come speciale oggi?
What is there as a special today?
KOH-zah cheh KOH-meh speh-CHAH-leh OHD-jee
Il piatto del giorno è...
The dish of the day is...
eel PYAHT-toh del JOHR-noh eh
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Buongiorno, qual è il piatto del giorno?
Good morning, what is today's special?Oggi il piatto del giorno è pasta al pomodoro e basilico. Costa dodici euro.
Today the dish of the day is pasta with tomato and basil. It costs twelve euros.Contiene carne?
Does it contain meat?No, è vegetariano. Vuole ordinarlo?
No, it is vegetarian. Do you want to order it?Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange at the counter
Imagine you are at a small restaurant counter in the morning. You are the customer and your partner is the staff member. Use the recorded lines in order.
Your task: Read the customer opening line «Buongiorno, qual è il piatto del giorno?» aloud. Your partner replies with «Oggi il piatto del giorno è pasta al pomodoro e basilico. Costa dodici euro.». Then ask «Contiene carne?», and your partner answers with «No, è vegetariano. Vuole ordinarlo?». After that, swap roles and repeat the same order.
Choose the right reply
Your partner says the customer line «Qual è il piatto del giorno?», which means "What is today's special?" You are the staff member and must choose a suitable reply from the recorded options.
Your task: Which reply fits: «Oggi il piatto del giorno è pasta al pomodoro e basilico. Costa dodici euro.», which gives the dish and the price, or «Contiene carne?», which asks whether the dish contains meat? Say your chosen line aloud as the staff member.
Recall with swapped roles
Work with a partner or with the audio. This time you begin as the staff member and your partner begins as the customer. Keep the same order of question, reply, follow-up question, and answer.
Your task: Your partner asks «Qual è il piatto del giorno?». You reply with «Oggi il piatto del giorno è pasta al pomodoro e basilico. Costa dodici euro.». Your partner asks «Contiene carne?». You answer with «No, è vegetariano. Vuole ordinarlo?». Then swap back and repeat, so each of you has played both roles.
Common questions
Can I practise this exchange alone without a partner?
Yes. Read the customer lines aloud yourself and let the audio or an imagined staff voice provide the replies. Then read the staff lines aloud and imagine the customer questions. There is no automatic assessment, so check your own pronunciation by comparing your reading with the recording.
What should I listen for in the staff reply?
Listen first for the dish name, then for the price. In «Oggi il piatto del giorno è pasta al pomodoro e basilico. Costa dodici euro.» the dish is named and the price is given. If you then ask «Contiene carne?», listen for the yes or no at the start of «No, è vegetariano. Vuole ordinarlo?», followed by the extra question about ordering.
Sources and further reading
- italian: ask about daily specialChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Italian into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr