In Italy a ‘bar’ is a place where you’ll have breakfast, drink coffee at eleven a.m. or after lunch, and stop at for a glass of wine and some nibbles after work.
If you’re on your own, there are usually some of the day’s newspapers to flick through. If not, you’ll be having a chat with your colleague or travel companion while you drink your coffee or prosecco.
It’s likely you’ll be in and out in under five minutes, having spent just a euro or two.
You order, you drink your coffee, you pay, you leave.
And on with the day!
A bar is definitely NOT a pub in the British sense of being a place to sit with a group of friends for a meal or a boozy evening.
Neither is it like an American bar, a sort of club for practised drinkers, as in the sit-com ‘Cheers’ (remember that?)
Italian bars are to coffee what gas stations are to automobiles.
Places to stop at and refuel.
Anyway, today’s Italian conversation is set in a bar. As such, it’s a short one:
“Whaddya want?” “Coffee.” “Here you go.” “Thanks.”
Useful though.
When you visit Italy, bars are a great way to see life as it is lived. You’ll want to stop in one at least three or four times a day.
In which case, you’ll likely be having lots of brief conversations like this one.
Today’s Italian conversation | Others in this series | All listening material
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Karen says
Am enjoying the new conversation exercises. I am trying to polish up my formal speech as I dont get much practice