Learn Hardcore Italian: Dopo cena facciamo due passi in giardino. - After dinner we go for a short walk in the garden.

With meal names (colazione, pranzo, cena), Italian normally drops the article when speaking generally. So dopo cena, a pranzo, a cena are the default. You add the article when you specify a particular meal or event: dopo la cena di Natale, dopo la cena di ieri. Both are grammatically correct; the article just makes it specific.

Why is the subject pronoun noi missing before facciamo?

Italian usually omits subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person: facciamo already means “we do/make.” You’d include noi for emphasis or contrast (Noi facciamo due passi, loro restano a casa).

What does facciamo due passi really mean? Is it idiomatic?

Yes. Literally “we make two steps,” but idiomatically it means “we take a short walk.” It’s a very common, casual way to suggest a brief stroll. A near-synonym is fare una passeggiata (often a bit longer or more neutral than due passi).

Can the present tense facciamo refer to the future here?

Yes. Italian often uses the present for near-future plans or scheduled actions, or for habits. So Dopo cena facciamo… can mean “after dinner we’ll (plan to) take a short walk” or “after dinner we (usually) take a short walk,” depending on context. You can clarify with adverbs like stasera (tonight) or di solito (usually).

Could I say Andiamo a fare due passi instead?

Absolutely. Andiamo a fare due passi (in giardino) is very natural and explicitly uses “go.” Facciamo due passi is a bit shorter and just as common. Both are fine; the choice is stylistic.

Why in giardino and not nel giardino or al giardino?

in giardino (no article) is the normal way to talk about being/going in the (home) garden/yard in a generic way.
nel giardino (in + il) points to a specific garden (often with a modifier: nel giardino di Marco).
al giardino is uncommon unless it’s a public facility (al giardino pubblico) and usually implies “to the garden.” You might also hear per il giardino to emphasize walking around/through the garden.

What does giardino refer to—garden, yard, or park?

Giardino can be a private garden/yard (typical with a house) or a public garden/green area (giardino pubblico). A large public green space is more often parco. A paved inner area is cortile (courtyard).

Can I move Dopo cena to the end of the sentence?

Yes. Word order is flexible for time phrases:

Dopo cena facciamo due passi in giardino.
Facciamo due passi in giardino dopo cena. Both are natural. Initial position slightly foregrounds the time.

How do I pronounce facciamo and giardino?

facciamo: fa-CHAH-mo (the “cci” before “a” sounds like “ch”; the “i” is not a separate vowel sound)
giardino: jar-DEE-no (soft “gi” like English “j”) Also: cena = CHEH-na; due = DOO-eh (two syllables).

What are the present-tense forms of fare?

io faccio, tu fai, lui/lei fa, noi facciamo, voi fate, loro fanno.

Does due really mean two, or just “a couple of”?

In set phrases it’s idiomatic: fare due passi = take a short walk; fare due chiacchiere = have a quick chat; fare due conti = do some quick math. It suggests “a couple of/a bit of,” not literally two.

What’s the difference between dopo and poi?

dopo is a preposition/adverb meaning “after,” used with nouns or pronouns (dopo cena, dopo di me) or clauses (dopo che + indicative: dopo che abbiamo cenato). poi is an adverb meaning “then/later” in a sequence: Mangiamo e poi facciamo due passi.

Is in giardino about location only, or also movement?

It can be either, depending on the verb. With fare due passi, it’s location (“we stroll in the garden”). With andare, andiamo in giardino means “we go into the garden.” If you want to emphasize movement within/around, per il giardino works.

Could I say Dopo aver cenato instead of Dopo cena?

Yes. Dopo aver cenato, facciamo… is a more explicit verbal construction (“after having dined”). You can also use dopo che + indicative: Dopo che abbiamo cenato, facciamo… All are correct; dopo cena is the most concise.