Making Plans and Suggestions

Whether you are organising a dinner with friends, planning a day trip, or simply deciding where to go for coffee, the ability to make plans and suggestions is essential in Italian. This lesson covers the key phrases, structures, and cultural conventions for proposing, accepting, and declining plans.

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Making Suggestions

Italian offers several ways to suggest doing something together. The choice depends on formality and how direct you want to be.

Using Questions

Italian	English	Tone
Perché non...?	Why don't we...?	Casual, friendly
Ti va di...?	Do you feel like...?	Casual
Le va di...?	Do you feel like...?	Formal (Lei)
Che ne dici di...?	What do you say about...?	Neutral
Che ne pensi di...?	What do you think about...?	Neutral
Vuoi...?	Do you want to...?	Direct, informal
Andiamo a...?	Shall we go to...?	Casual
Facciamo...?	Shall we do...?	Casual
Ti andrebbe di...?	Would you fancy...?	Polite informal

Using Statements

Italian	English	Tone
Potremmo...	We could...	Tentative
Si potrebbe...	One could... / We could...	Impersonal, diplomatic
Sarebbe bello...	It would be nice to...	Enthusiastic
Propongo di...	I suggest...	Slightly formal
Ho un'idea: ...	I have an idea: ...	Enthusiastic

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Dialogue: Planning a Weekend Outing

Alessia: Che facciamo questo sabato?

Tommaso: Non so. Ti va di andare al lago?

Alessia: Hmm, hanno dato pioggia per sabato. Perché non andiamo al museo invece?

Tommaso: Buona idea! C'è una mostra nuova di arte contemporanea.

Alessia: Perfetto! A che ora ci vediamo?

Tommaso: Che ne dici delle dieci?

Alessia: Va bene. Ci troviamo all'ingresso?

Tommaso: Sì, perfetto. Poi potremmo pranzare insieme da qualche parte.

Alessia: Sarebbe bello! Conosci un buon ristorante lì vicino?

Tommaso: Sì, ce n'è uno ottimo in piazza. Te lo mando su WhatsApp.

Alessia: Fantastico! A sabato allora!

Translation

Alessia: What shall we do this Saturday?

Tommaso: I don't know. Do you feel like going to the lake?

Alessia: Hmm, they've forecast rain for Saturday. Why don't we go to the museum instead?

Tommaso: Good idea! There's a new contemporary art exhibition.

Alessia: Perfect! What time shall we meet?

Tommaso: What do you say about ten o'clock?

Alessia: Fine. Shall we meet at the entrance?

Tommaso: Yes, perfect. Then we could have lunch together somewhere.

Alessia: That would be lovely! Do you know a good restaurant near there?

Tommaso: Yes, there's an excellent one in the square. I'll send it to you on WhatsApp.

Alessia: Fantastic! See you Saturday then!

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Accepting Plans

Italian	English	Tone
Sì, volentieri!	Yes, gladly!	Enthusiastic
Certo!	Of course!	Enthusiastic
Ottima idea!	Great idea!	Positive
Buona idea!	Good idea!	Positive
Perfetto!	Perfect!	Positive
Va bene! / Va benissimo!	That's fine! / That's great!	Neutral-positive
D'accordo!	Agreed!	Neutral
Perché no?	Why not?	Casual agreement
Mi piacerebbe molto!	I'd love to!	Formal-positive
Con piacere!	With pleasure!	Polite

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Declining Politely

Saying no in Italian requires diplomacy. A flat "no" can seem rude.

Italian	English	Tone
Mi piacerebbe, ma...	I'd like to, but...	Polite
Mi dispiace, ma non posso.	I'm sorry, but I can't.	Direct but polite
Purtroppo non posso.	Unfortunately I can't.	Apologetic
Magari un'altra volta.	Maybe another time.	Soft decline
Ho già un impegno.	I already have a commitment.	Neutral excuse
Sono già impegnato/impegnata.	I'm already busy.	Neutral excuse
Non me la sento.	I don't feel up to it.	Honest, casual
Preferirei...	I'd prefer...	Counter-suggestion
Ci penso e ti faccio sapere.	Let me think about it and I'll let you know.	Buying time

Tip: In Italian culture, declining an invitation often comes with an explanation and an expression of regret. Simply saying "no" without context can seem cold.

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Talking About Times and Places

When making plans, you need to agree on when and where to meet.

Times