Learn Italian: Leggi la comanda e inizia a tritare l'aglio, che siamo in ritardo! - Read the order ticket and start chopping the garlic, because we are late!

This is a classic example of the informal explanatory che (often called the che polivalente). In spoken Italian, che is frequently used after a command, request, or strong statement to quickly introduce the reason or justification for it. It means the same thing as perché (because) or dato che (given that), but gives the sentence a faster, more casual, and conversational flow.

What exactly is a comanda? Can I use it for any kind of order?

No, comanda is a highly specific term used in the restaurant and hospitality industry. It refers to the physical or digital order ticket taken by the waiter and sent to the kitchen. If you are talking about an order you placed online (like clothes or books) or a military command, you would use the word ordine.

Why do we need the preposition a in inizia a tritare?

When the verb iniziare (to begin or start) is followed by another action, it always requires the preposition a before the following infinitive verb. This is a set pattern: iniziare a + [infinitive]. The synonym cominciare follows the exact same rule (for example, comincia a piovere).

Leggi and inizia are both commands for "tu", but they end in different vowels. Why is that?