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Dunque, cosa vuoi mangiare stasera?

Dunque, cosa vuoi mangiare stasera?
So, what do you want to eat tonight?
FromLesson 58inHardcore Italian
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Breakdown of Dunque, cosa vuoi mangiare stasera?

tu
you
volere
to want
mangiare
to eat
stasera
tonight
cosa
what
dunque
so

Questions & Answers about Dunque, cosa vuoi mangiare stasera?

What does Dunque add here, and how is it different from Allora or Quindi?

It’s a discourse marker meaning roughly so/well then. It signals you’re shifting the conversation or drawing a conclusion before asking.

  • Allora is the most common conversational so, very neutral and colloquial.
  • Dunque can sound slightly more thoughtful or formal/bookish, but it’s fine in speech.
  • Quindi means therefore/so as a logical connector; it’s less typical as a casual conversation opener.

All three can precede the question: Dunque/Allora/Quindi, che cosa vuoi mangiare stasera?

Is the comma after Dunque necessary?

Not strictly. The comma just marks the natural pause after this discourse marker.

  • Dunque, cosa vuoi mangiare stasera? — standard.
  • Dunque… cosa vuoi mangiare stasera? — longer pause.
  • Dunque cosa vuoi mangiare stasera? — also seen; the pause is felt in speech.
Can I just drop Dunque?
Yes. Cosa vuoi mangiare stasera? is perfectly natural and probably the most common version.
What’s the difference between cosa, che cosa, and che?

They all mean what here.

  • Che cosa vuoi mangiare…? — standard/neutral.
  • Cosa vuoi mangiare…? — extremely common in speech and writing.
  • Che vuoi mangiare…? — correct but more informal/abrupt; tone matters. Without context, Che vuoi? alone can sound brusque.
Why is there no subject pronoun tu?
Italian normally drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the subject. Vuoi (ending -i) already tells us it’s you singular. You add Tu only for emphasis or contrast: Tu, cosa vuoi mangiare…?
Why isn’t there di before mangiare?

With volere + infinitive, no preposition is used: vuoi mangiare, not vuoi di mangiare. Compare:

  • Avere voglia di + infinitive: Hai voglia di mangiare?
  • Provare a + infinitive: Provo a cucinare.
  • Finire di + infinitive: Finisco di mangiare.
Why present vuoi instead of a future form?

Italian often uses the present for near-future plans: Cosa vuoi mangiare stasera? is the natural way. Future forms shift nuance:

  • Cosa mangerai stasera? = What will you eat tonight? (prediction/plan)
  • Cosa vorrai mangiare stasera? sounds speculative or less natural in everyday talk.
Is vorresti more polite than vuoi?

Yes. Vuoi is direct and fine among friends/family. Vorresti softens it, like would you like:

  • Che cosa vorresti mangiare stasera? Other gentle options:
  • Che cosa ti va di mangiare stasera?
  • Ti andrebbe di mangiare…? (even softer/hypothetical)
How do I ask this formally with Lei?

Use the third person singular:

  • Che cosa vuole mangiare stasera? Slightly more formal choices:
  • Che cosa desidera mangiare stasera?
  • Che cosa gradirebbe per cena stasera? (polite/formal; conditional)
Can I move stasera or change the word order?

Yes, time phrases are flexible:

  • Stasera, che cosa vuoi mangiare?
  • Che cosa vuoi mangiare, stasera? Avoid splitting the modal and the infinitive in awkward ways like Che cosa vuoi stasera mangiare?; it sounds unnatural. Keep vuoi and mangiare together.
Is there a difference between stasera and questa sera?
They’re synonyms. Stasera is more common/colloquial; questa sera can feel a touch more formal or emphatic. Avoid oggi sera in standard Italian.
Do I need to add per cena to mean for dinner?

Not necessarily. Stasera usually implies dinner by context. You can add it for clarity/emphasis:

  • Per cena, che cosa vuoi mangiare stasera?
  • Che cosa vuoi mangiare per cena?
How do object pronouns work here if I’ve already mentioned a dish?

With modals like volere, the clitic can go before the conjugated verb or attach to the infinitive:

  • Lo vuoi mangiare? / Vuoi mangiarlo? (it = masculine)
  • La vuoi mangiare? / Vuoi mangiarla? (it = feminine) For an unspecified quantity:
  • Ne vuoi mangiare? / Vuoi mangiarne? (Do you want to eat some?)
Is Che vuoi mangiare stasera? correct?
Yes, it’s grammatically correct and common in informal speech: Che vuoi mangiare stasera? It can sound more abrupt than Che cosa/Cosa vuoi…, so use it where a casual tone is appropriate.

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