Learn Italian: Scusi, l'acqua, per favore. - Excuse me, the water, please.

Scusi, l'acqua, per favore.

Excuse me, the water, please.

Breakdown of Scusi, l'acqua, per favore.

please (asking for something)

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Questions & Answers about Scusi, l'acqua, per favore.

Why is it Scusi instead of Scusa?

Scusi is the formal way to say "excuse me". You use it when speaking to someone you don't know well, an elder, or someone in a service role like a waiter, because it matches the formal Lei register. If you were talking to a friend or family member, you would use the informal Scusa.

Does Scusi mean "I'm sorry" or "Excuse me" here?

It means "Excuse me" in this context, because you are trying to politely get someone's attention (like a waiter). However, scusi can also mean "I'm sorry" or "Pardon me" if you were to accidentally bump into a stranger on the street.

Why is there an apostrophe in l'acqua?

The Italian word for water is acqua, which is a feminine noun. Normally, "the water" would be la acqua. However, when the singular articles la or lo come right before a word that starts with a vowel, they drop their final letter and use an apostrophe. This makes it much smoother to say: la acqua becomes l'acqua.

Could I use prego instead of per favore to say "please" at the end of this sentence?

No, you should stick to per favore when asking for an item or a favor. While prego is sometimes translated as "please" (like when holding a door and politely gesturing for someone to go ahead), it is mostly used to mean "you are welcome" after someone thanks you.