Would you like it with sugar?
ZUC-che-ro — three syllables, stress on first. The 'cch' is a doubled hard 'k' sound.
This is what the barista asks you. Knowing how to answer — and how to specify your preference — is essential.
'Lo vuole' is 'do you want it' (singular formal). 'Zucchero' = sugar. Your answer options: 'sì, grazie' (yes, please), 'no grazie, lo prendo amaro' (no thanks, I take it bitter/black), 'mezzo cucchiaino' (half a teaspoon).
Lo prendo amaro.
I'll have it bitter (without sugar).
'Amaro' in this context = unsweetened, not the liqueur. The 'correct' Italian way.
Un po' di zucchero, grazie.
A little sugar, please.
Specify a small amount if you want less than a full packet
Con lo zucchero di canna.
With cane sugar.
Some bars offer raw cane sugar — worth asking if you prefer it
Purists drink espresso 'amaro' (without sugar) to fully appreciate the flavour of the beans. However, in Naples, espresso is traditionally sweetened at the machine — the barista adds sugar to the portafilter before extraction. The resulting coffee is naturally sweet without added sugar.