Meaning
To wait for one's turn.
Cultural Background
The 'Poste Italiane' is the quintessential place for 'stare in fila'. It's often a place of social bonding through shared complaining. The 'furbetto' is someone who tries to skip the line. Calling them out is a common social interaction. In some southern regions, the 'fila' might be less of a line and more of a crowd, but the order of arrival is strictly remembered by everyone. The 'eliminacode' (ticket machine) has changed the experience of 'stare in fila', making it more about watching a screen than standing in a row.
The Magic Question
Always ask 'Chi è l'ultimo?' if there is no ticket machine. It saves you from accidentally skipping.
Not for Cars
Don't say 'stare in fila' when you are in traffic. Use 'essere in coda'.
Meaning
To wait for one's turn.
The Magic Question
Always ask 'Chi è l'ultimo?' if there is no ticket machine. It saves you from accidentally skipping.
Not for Cars
Don't say 'stare in fila' when you are in traffic. Use 'essere in coda'.
Fare vs Stare
Use 'fare la fila' when you want to emphasize how annoying the wait is. 'Ho fatto un'ora di fila!'
Socializing
Standing in line is a great time to practice your Italian by complaining about the wait with others!
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'stare in fila'.
Ieri noi ________ per due ore per vedere il Colosseo.
The past tense (passato prossimo) of 'stare' uses 'essere' as the auxiliary.
Which is the most natural way to ask who is last in line?
Sei arrivato alla posta e non c'è il biglietto. Cosa chiedi?
'Chi è l'ultimo?' is the standard cultural phrase.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'C'è molta gente?' B: 'Sì, devi ________ per almeno mezz'ora.'
'Stare in fila' is the most natural way to describe the wait.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are stuck in a traffic jam on the A1 highway.
For traffic, 'coda' is much more common than 'fila'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Fila vs. Coda
Practice Bank
4 exercisesIeri noi ________ per due ore per vedere il Colosseo.
The past tense (passato prossimo) of 'stare' uses 'essere' as the auxiliary.
Sei arrivato alla posta e non c'è il biglietto. Cosa chiedi?
'Chi è l'ultimo?' is the standard cultural phrase.
A: 'C'è molta gente?' B: 'Sì, devi ________ per almeno mezz'ora.'
'Stare in fila' is the most natural way to describe the wait.
You are stuck in a traffic jam on the A1 highway.
For traffic, 'coda' is much more common than 'fila'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, 'stare in linea' usually refers to being on a phone line or a geometric line. For a queue of people, always use 'stare in fila'.
'Fila' is a straight line of people. 'Coda' (tail) is used for traffic or long, winding lines. They are often interchangeable for people, but 'coda' is exclusive for cars.
It is neutral. It's appropriate for any situation, from a casual chat to a formal request at a bank.
You say 'saltare la fila' (to jump the line).
Because Italian lines aren't always straight. Asking this establishes your place in the sequence regardless of where you stand.
Yes, 'stare in fila virtuale' is commonly used for online ticket sales.
It uses 'essere'. For example: 'Sono stato in fila'.
'Fare la fila' is slightly more common in spoken Italian when focusing on the activity, but 'stare in fila' is very frequent for describing the state.
You can say 'la fila scorre' (the line flows/slides).
If there are tickets, you 'prendi il numero' (take the number) and then 'aspetti il tuo turno' (wait for your turn).
Related Phrases
fare la fila
synonymTo do the line
mettersi in fila
builds onTo get in line
saltare la fila
contrastTo skip the line
essere in coda
similarTo be in a tail/queue
rispettare la fila
specialized formTo respect the line
