Italian · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 2 of 12
Travel and hotels
In albergo
Check in at an Italian hotel, ask about breakfast, report a problem politely with potrebbe, and use al, dal, nella and sul.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Check in with a booking
- Ask if breakfast is included
- Make polite requests with potrebbe
- Say dates, nights and floors
Listen
Roberto Conti checks in at a small hotel in Lecce. A little later he comes back to reception. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Receptionist
Buonasera, mi dica.
Good evening, how can I help?
Roberto
Buonasera. Ho prenotato una camera doppia per tre notti, a nome Conti.
Good evening. I've booked a double room for three nights, under the name Conti.
Receptionist
Sì, signor Conti, dal dodici al quindici giugno. Un documento, per favore.
Yes, Mr Conti, from the 12th to the 15th of June. Some ID, please.
Roberto
Ecco la mia carta d'identità. La colazione è compresa?
Here's my identity card. Is breakfast included?
Receptionist
Sì, è dalle sette alle dieci, al primo piano. Ecco la chiave: camera ventiquattro, al secondo piano.
Yes, it's from seven to ten, on the first floor. Here's the key: room twenty-four, on the second floor.
Roberto
Scusi, ho un problema. In camera l'aria condizionata non funziona.
Excuse me, I have a problem. The air conditioning in the room doesn't work.
Receptionist
Oh, mi dispiace. Mando subito un tecnico.
Oh, I'm sorry. I'll send a technician straight away.
Roberto
Grazie. E potrebbe anche chiamare un taxi per domani mattina?
Thank you. And could you also call a taxi for tomorrow morning?
Receptionist
Certo. A che ora?
Of course. What time?
Roberto
Alle otto e mezza, per favore.
At half past eight, please.
Receptionist
Va bene. Alle otto e mezza il taxi è davanti all'albergo.
All right. The taxi will be in front of the hotel at half past eight.
Understand
Polite requests: potrebbe…?
…? means “could you…?”. It comes from (can) and is a very polite way to ask for something. Put a verb in the infinitive after it: …? (can you…?) is polite too.
With a friend, use the forms: …? or …? And to ask for things, (I'd like) still works everywhere.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Could you call a taxi? | |
| Could you come straight away? | |
| Can you say that again, please? | |
| Could you wait a moment? (tu) | |
| I'd like a single room. |
Prepositions with “the”: the full table
In A1 you saw that (of), (to, at), (from), (in) and (on) join with “the”: , , (chapter 6), , (chapter 8). Here is the whole table to review. Hotels use these forms all the time: , .
For dates and times, “from… to…” is … … and … …: , .
| The | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- La chiave è sul tavolo.The key is on the table.
- Nella camera c'è un letto grande.In the room there's a big bed.
- Il taxi è davanti all'albergo.The taxi is in front of the hotel.
Floors and nights
For floors, Italian uses … (first, second, third). They are adjectives, so they agree: , . The ground floor is . As in Britain, is the floor above the ground floor.
For how long you stay, use : (for three nights), .
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| / | first |
| / | second |
| / | third |
| / | fourth |
| / | fifth |
More in the grammar: Italian numbers: from 0 to a million · Prepositions with articles: del, al, nel, sul… · The conditional: would and would have
New words
- prenotareto book, to reserve · = I've booked
- la camera doppiadouble room · feminine; a single room:
- la nottenight · feminine; plural:
- a nome…under the name… ·
- la carta d'identitàidentity card · feminine; = some ID
- la colazionebreakfast · feminine; = to have breakfast
- compresoincluded · feminine:
- il pianofloor, storey · masculine; = on the first floor
- la chiavekey · feminine; plural:
- l'aria condizionataair conditioning · feminine
- Non funziona.It doesn't work. · from (to work, of machines)
- mandareto send · = I'll send straight away
- Potrebbe…?Could you…? · very polite; from
- l'albergohotel · masculine; plural: ; also
Practise
1.You want the receptionist to call you a taxi. What do you say?
2.Complete the dates: from 12 to 15 June.
From 12 to 15 June.
3.The key is on the table. Write + as one word.
The key is on the table.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I've booked a double room.
5.The receptionist says your room is . Where is it?
6.Match the Italian with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Buonasera. Ho prenotato una camera a nome Rossi.
Good evening. I've booked a room under the name Rossi.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.