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I baristi sono molto occupati, quindi ho preso un tè.

I baristi sono molto occupati, quindi ho preso un tè.
The bartenders are very busy, so I had a tea.
From Lesson 248:Nouns ending in -ista (-ista, -isti, -iste)·Italian

Questions & Answers about I baristi sono molto occupati, quindi ho preso un tè.

Why is it i baristi ending in -i if the singular is il barista?
Words ending in -ista that refer to people are the same for both men and women in the singular (il barista for a man, la barista for a woman). However, in the plural, they follow regular rules: -i for a group of men or a mixed group (i baristi), and -e for a group of women (le bariste).
Does occupati end in -i to match baristi?
Yes! Adjectives must agree with the noun they describe. Since i baristi is masculine plural, the adjective occupato (busy) changes to occupati.
Why doesn't molto change to molti here?
In this sentence, molto means very and acts as an adverb modifying the adjective occupati. Adverbs never change their endings. If it meant many and described a noun (like molti baristi), then it would change to match the noun.
Why use ho preso instead of a word for drinking or having?
In Italian, the verb prendere (to take) is the standard and most natural way to say you are getting, having, or ordering food and drinks.
Why does tè have an accent mark?
The accent mark helps distinguish the noun tè (tea) from the object pronoun te (you, as in per te). Both are pronounced the same way, so the written accent prevents confusion.

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