FastItalian LearningSign in
PhrasesPaying the BillScusi, aspettavo il conto da un po'.
B1

Scusi, aspettavo il conto da un po'.

Excuse me, I've been waiting for the bill for a while.

Pronunciation

ah-speht-TAH-vo — four syllables, stress on third. 'da un po'' = DAH oon POH — means 'for a while'.

When to use it

Use politely when you've been waiting too long for the bill after requesting it. Italian restaurants can be slow — this gentle reminder is appropriate and common.

What it means

'Aspettavo' is the imperfect tense of 'aspettare' — expressing an ongoing past action ('I have been waiting'). 'Da un po'' = for a while/some time. This is a polite, non-aggressive way to gently remind the waiter.

Variations

Il conto non è ancora arrivato.

The bill hasn't arrived yet.

States the situation as a fact rather than a complaint.

Abbiamo fretta — possiamo avere il conto?

We're in a hurry — can we have the bill?

Explains urgency without being rude.

Quando è possibile avere il conto?

When is it possible to have the bill?

Polite question about timing.

Mini Dialogue

Cliente: Scusi, aspettavo il conto da un po'. Cameriere: Mi scusi tantissimo! Ho avuto un momento di confusione. Glielo porto subito. Cliente: Grazie, non c'è fretta, volevo solo ricordarglielo. Cameriere: Comprensibilissimo. Eccolo.

Client: Excuse me, I've been waiting for the bill for a while. Waiter: I'm very sorry! I had a confused moment. I'll bring it right away. Client: Thank you, there's no rush, I just wanted to remind you. Waiter: Completely understandable. Here it is.

Cultural Note

Italian dining has a relaxed pace that can feel very slow to visitors from countries with faster service cultures. The slow bill delivery is intentional — Italians linger. However, if you genuinely need to leave, a polite reminder like this one is always accepted with good grace.