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Italian · B1 Bilingual Reader Daily Life Cuisine and Wine

Il Caffe della Mattina

Every morning, Marco wakes up at seven. He gets dressed quickly and leaves the house. He walks down the street to the bar below his home.

Illustration for the A1 story "Il Caffe della Mattina": Every morning, Marco wakes up at seven. He gets dressed quickly and leaves the house. He walks down the street to the bar below his home.
Length
187 words
Reading time
~2 min
Vocabulary
9 terms
Comprehension
5 questions
Warm-up

Pre-Reading Vocabulary

Review these key words and phrasing examples before you begin reading.

sveglia
alarm clock
"La sveglia suona alle sette."
barista
bartender
"Il barista prepara un espresso."
marmellata
jam
"Mangio il pane con la marmellata."

Your Italian story — tap highlighted words when you need help

2 min read
Native narration · pick a speed

Ogni mattina, Marco alle sette, con il sole che filtra attraverso le tende. Si veste velocemente e esce di casa, sentendo l'aria fresca del mattino. Cammina per la strada fino al bar sotto casa, ascoltando il canto degli uccelli. Il bar si chiama "Bar Roma" ed è molto piccolo, ma sempre pieno di voci e risate. Marco entra e dice: "Buongiorno! Un caffè, per favore." Il barista sorride e prepara un espresso. Il caffè è forte e caldo, con un aroma che riempie l'aria. Marco beve il caffè al bancone, come tutti gli italiani, godendosi il momento. Mangia anche un cornetto con la marmellata, dolce e friabile. " Quanto costa?" chiede Marco, con un sorriso. " Un euro e cinquanta," risponde il barista, con un cenno del capo. Marco paga e lascia una piccola , apprezzando il servizio. " Grazie, a domani!" dice Marco, mentre si avvia verso la porta. Poi cammina verso l'ufficio, con il profumo del caffè ancora nel naso. La mattina comincia bene con un buon caffè e un sorriso. Prima di riagganciare, ripete a voce bassa una frase utile della scena.

Show full English translation

Every morning, Marco wakes up at seven, with the sun filtering through the curtains. He gets dressed quickly and leaves the house, feeling the fresh morning air. He walks down the street to the bar below his home, listening to the birds singing. The bar is called "Bar Roma" and it is very small, but always full of voices and laughter. Marco enters and says: "Good morning! A coffee, please." The barista smiles and prepares an espresso. The coffee is strong and hot, with an aroma that fills the air. Marco drinks his coffee at the counter, like all Italians, savoring the moment. He also eats a croissant with jam, sweet and flaky. " How much does it cost?" Marco asks, with a smile. " One euro and fifty cents," the barista answers, with a nod. Marco pays and leaves a small tip, appreciating the service. " Thanks, see you tomorrow!" Marco says, as he heads for the door. Then he walks toward the office, with the scent of coffee still in his nose. The morning starts well with a good coffee and a smile. Before hanging up, they quietly repeat a useful sentence from the scene.

Reading Comprehension Exercise

B1 Italian Reading Comprehension Exercises

1. Qual è il nome del bar che Marco visita ogni mattina?

2. Cosa ordina Marco al bar?

3. Quanto costa il caffè e il cornetto che Marco consuma?

4. Cosa fa Marco dopo aver bevuto il caffè?

5. Come si sente Marco mentre cammina verso l'ufficio?

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Notebook

Patterns to reuse

Talking about your morning routine

Ogni mattina, Marco si sveglia alle sette

Every morning, Marco wakes up at seven

To talk about regular activities, start with 'Ogni mattina/sera/pomeriggio...'

Ogni mattina/sera/pomeriggio, [subject] [verb]...

  • Ogni sera preparo la cena
  • Ogni pomeriggio studio italiano
  • Ogni mattina faccio una passeggiata

Use this pattern to discuss what you do every morning, evening, or afternoon.

Ordering politely at a café

Un caffè, per favore.

A coffee, please.

In Italian cafés, use '[item], per favore' for polite requests.

[item], per favore.

  • Un cornetto, per favore.
  • Un'acqua, per favore.
  • Un cappuccino, per favore.

This is the standard, polite way to order food or drinks.

Asking for the price

Quanto costa?

How much does it cost?

Use 'Quanto costa?' to ask about price anywhere in Italy.

Quanto costa?

  • Quanto viene?
  • Quanto pago?

This is a useful phrase for shopping or eating out.

Saying goodbye until tomorrow

A domani!

See you tomorrow!

'A domani' is used when you'll see someone the next day.

A [time expression]!

  • A presto!
  • A lunedì!
  • A dopo!

Swap out 'domani' to change when you’ll see someone next.

Insight

Translator's Note

"This story captures the essence of Italian morning rituals, focusing on the sensory experience of coffee culture."

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