Learn Italian: Noi aspettiamo al giardino o alla banca? - Are we waiting at the garden or at the bank?

Both words mean 'at the', created by combining the preposition a (at/to) with a definite article (the). Since giardino is masculine, we combine a + il to make al. Because banca is feminine, we combine a + la to make alla.

I thought 'at the bank' was in banca. Why does this sentence use alla banca?

Great memory! You usually say in banca without an article when talking about going inside to use the bank's services. However, when you are just using the bank building as a physical meeting point or landmark outside, as in this sentence, Italians often use alla banca.

The English translation says 'Are we waiting'. Why isn't there a word for 'are' in the Italian sentence?

In Italian, the regular present tense covers both the simple present ('we wait') and the present continuous ('we are waiting'). So, aspettiamo carries the meaning of both 'we wait' and 'we are waiting' all by itself!

Could I drop the noi and just say Aspettiamo al giardino...?