a tavola
At the table
Phrase in 30 Seconds
The essential Italian invitation to stop what you're doing and start eating together.
- Means: 'At the table' or 'Dinner is served!'
- Used in: Family homes, restaurants, and social gatherings.
- Don't confuse: 'A tavola' (eating) with 'Al tavolo' (physical location).
Explanation at your level:
معنی
Ready to eat.
زمینه فرهنگی
The 'lungo pranzo' (long lunch) is a sacred tradition where 'stare a tavola' can last 3-4 hours, especially on Sundays. In the South, 'a tavola' is often synonymous with family unity. Refusing an invitation to sit 'a tavola' can be seen as a personal slight. Many important business decisions are made 'a tavola' rather than in an office, as sharing food builds 'fiducia' (trust). Despite the rush of city life, 'a tavola' remains a phone-free zone for many families to reconnect after work.
The Article Rule
Remember: 'A tavola' (no article) = Eating. 'Al tavolo' (with article) = Location. This is the fastest way to sound like a native.
Don't Rush
If an Italian invites you 'a tavola', don't plan anything for at least two hours. Rushing away is considered rude.
معنی
Ready to eat.
The Article Rule
Remember: 'A tavola' (no article) = Eating. 'Al tavolo' (with article) = Location. This is the fastest way to sound like a native.
Don't Rush
If an Italian invites you 'a tavola', don't plan anything for at least two hours. Rushing away is considered rude.
Gender Matters
Never say 'a tavolo' when you mean dinner. It sounds like you are sitting at a workbench or a desk.
The Call
When you hear 'A tavola!', the correct response is 'Arrivo!' (I'm coming!).
خودت رو بسنج
Which phrase would a mother shout to tell her children dinner is ready?
Mamma: 'Ragazzi, ________!'
'A tavola' is the idiomatic call to eat.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition and noun.
Scusa, non posso parlare ora, siamo tutti ____ ________.
When you are currently eating, you are 'a tavola'.
Match the phrase to the correct context.
1. Un tavolo per due. 2. Tutti a tavola!
'Un tavolo' (masculine) is used for the object/booking; 'A tavola' (feminine) is for the meal.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
A: È pronta la pasta? B: Sì, ________!
'Vieni a tavola' is the natural invitation to join the meal.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
Tavolo vs. Tavola
Il Tavolo (Masculine)
- • Work desk
- • Office
- • Furniture store
- • Restaurant booking
La Tavola (Feminine)
- • Family dinner
- • Home cooking
- • Socializing
- • Tradition
سوالات متداول
12 سوالIt is neutral. You can use it with your family or at a formal gala dinner.
Italian drops the article in many common prepositional phrases involving locations like 'casa', 'scuola', and 'tavola'.
Yes, but it's most common for lunch (pranzo) and dinner (cena).
'Tavolo' is the physical furniture; 'tavola' is the table set for a meal.
You can say 'Siamo a tavola' to mean you are currently eating, but you ask for 'un tavolo' when you arrive.
Generally, it is considered rude in Italian culture, though common among teenagers.
It means the physical act of sitting down to begin the meal.
No, even if there are many tables, the expression 'a tavola' remains singular as a concept.
The most common way is simply shouting 'A tavola!' or 'È pronto!'.
Yes, usually it means the food is served or about to be served immediately.
It's a type of casual eatery, like a hot buffet or snack bar.
Only if the meeting involves eating. Otherwise, use 'al tavolo'.
عبارات مرتبط
mettere in tavola
similarTo serve food/put it on the table.
apparecchiare la tavola
builds onTo set the table.
sparecchiare
contrastTo clear the table.
tavola calda
specialized formA snack bar serving hot food.
stare a tavola
similarTo linger at the table.
کجا استفاده کنیم
Sunday Family Lunch
Nonna: Ragazzi, è pronto! Tutti a tavola!
Nipote: Arriviamo, Nonna! Che profumo!
Phone call during dinner
Amico: Ehi, puoi parlare?
Tu: Scusa, sono a tavola. Ti chiamo dopo.
Setting the table
Padre: Puoi portare l'acqua a tavola?
Figlia: Certo, la prendo subito.
Restaurant seating
Cameriere: Volete accomodarvi a tavola?
Cliente: Sì, grazie, abbiamo molta fame.
Work lunch discussion
Capo: Ne discuteremo meglio a tavola oggi.
Collega: Ottima idea, a che ora andiamo?
Teaching manners
Madre: Non si gioca con il cibo a tavola!
Bambino: Scusa mamma, ho finito.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of the 'A' in 'A tavola' as an Arrow pointing everyone to the table.
Visual Association
Imagine a steaming plate of pasta in the center of a wooden table, with chairs pulling out and people laughing. The phrase 'A tavola' is written in the steam.
Rhyme
A tavola e a letto, non si porta rispetto (At the table and in bed, no respect is carried - an old proverb about being relaxed).
Story
Marco is in the garden. His mother shouts 'A tavola!'. Marco knows this is the only command he must obey immediately, or the lasagna will get cold. He runs to the 'tavola' (the soul of the house) and leaves his 'tavolo' (his desk) behind.
Word Web
چالش
Next time you eat with someone, say 'A tavola!' before you sit down, even if you're speaking English, to anchor the feeling of the phrase.
In Other Languages
A la mesa
Italian drops the article ('a tavola'), Spanish keeps it ('a la mesa').
À table
Virtually no difference in usage or structure.
Zu Tisch
German 'Zu Tisch' is much more formal than Italian 'A tavola'.
いただきます (Itadakimasu)
Japanese focuses on the gratitude for food; Italian focuses on the gathering at the table.
تفضلوا على الطاولة (Tafaddalu 'ala al-tawila)
Arabic often uses a verb of action (eating) rather than the location (table).
开饭了 (Kāifànle)
Focus on the food (rice) vs. focus on the furniture (table).
식사 하세요 (Siksa-haseyo)
Korean is more focused on the honorific invitation to the act of eating.
À mesa
Like Spanish, it typically retains the article (contraction 'à').
Easily Confused
Learners use it to mean 'eating' because it literally means 'at the table'.
Use 'al tavolo' for physical location (like a waiter assigning a seat) and 'a tavola' for the social act of eating.
Learners use it to say food is 'on the table'.
Use 'sul tavolo' for objects (keys, books). For food ready to eat, use 'in tavola' or 'a tavola'.
سوالات متداول (12)
It is neutral. You can use it with your family or at a formal gala dinner.
Italian drops the article in many common prepositional phrases involving locations like 'casa', 'scuola', and 'tavola'.
Yes, but it's most common for lunch (pranzo) and dinner (cena).
'Tavolo' is the physical furniture; 'tavola' is the table set for a meal.
You can say 'Siamo a tavola' to mean you are currently eating, but you ask for 'un tavolo' when you arrive.
Generally, it is considered rude in Italian culture, though common among teenagers.
It means the physical act of sitting down to begin the meal.
No, even if there are many tables, the expression 'a tavola' remains singular as a concept.
The most common way is simply shouting 'A tavola!' or 'È pronto!'.
Yes, usually it means the food is served or about to be served immediately.
It's a type of casual eatery, like a hot buffet or snack bar.
Only if the meeting involves eating. Otherwise, use 'al tavolo'.
