Italian grammar
Plans: present tense + stasera / domani
Talk about your plans.
From the scene Stasera ceno con Javi (I'm having dinner with Javi tonight)
In short
For plans, use the present tense plus a time word: stasera ceno con Javi.
Your turn
Which one goes with tonight I'm having dinner with...?
Options: stasera ceno con... · cosa fai stasera? · cosa mangi?
Show answer
tonight I'm having dinner with... → stasera ceno con...
How it works
Italian has no 'going to' form for plans.
Good to know
You just use the present tense, often with a time word (stasera ceno con Javi = tonight I'm having dinner with Javi).
Good to know
Andare a + infinitive (the basic verb form, like mangiare) only means physically going somewhere to do something.
what are you doing tonight? cosa fai stasera?
Tomás
Nuria, cosa fai stasera?
Nuria, what are you doing tonight?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Nuria, (blank)?
Options: cosa mangi · cosa fai stasera · stasera ceno con
Show answer
Tomás
Nuria, cosa fai stasera?
Nuria, what are you doing tonight?
tonight I'm having dinner with... stasera ceno con...
Nuria
Stasera ceno con Javi.
Tonight I'm having dinner with Javi.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) Javi.
Options: Cosa mangi · Stasera ceno con · Cosa fai stasera
Show answer
Nuria
Stasera ceno con Javi.
Tonight I'm having dinner with Javi.
what are you going to eat? cosa mangi?
Tomás
E cosa mangi?
And what are you eating?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
E (blank)?
Options: stasera ceno con · cosa mangi · cosa fai stasera
Show answer
Tomás
E cosa mangi?
And what are you eating?
she's having dinner with... cena con...
Tomás
Sì, cena con Ramón.
Yes, she's having dinner with Ramón.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Sì, (blank) Ramón.
Options: cosa fai stasera · stasera ceno con · cena con
Show answer
Tomás
Sì, cena con Ramón.
Yes, she's having dinner with Ramón.
they're having dinner... cenano...
Common mistake
Not ceni or cena here. Nuria talking about herself.
Stasera ceno con Javi.
Tonight I'm having dinner with Javi.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| what are you doing tonight? | cosa fai stasera? |
|---|---|
| tonight I'm having dinner with... | stasera ceno con... |
| what are you going to eat? | cosa mangi? |
| she's having dinner with... | cena con... |
| they're having dinner... | cenano... |
More lines from the story
- NuriaMangio la paella.I'm having paella.
- TomásCeni con Javi?You're having dinner with Javi?