Italian Phrase
Cosa ci serve?
Meaning
The sentence asks what items, ingredients, or tools are required for a group that includes the speaker. It is the equivalent of English “What do we need?” and is often used when planning a meal, a trip, or any activity that requires supplies.
When to use
Use this question when you are in a group setting and want to find out which things are necessary for a shared task – for example, before cooking, packing for a hike, or organizing a party.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cosaciserve?
Cosa
Interrogative pronoun meaning “what”. It can appear at the beginning of a question.
ci
Clitic pronoun that means “to us/for us”. In this construction it marks the people who need something.
serve (servire)
Third‑person singular of the verb “servire” used impersonally to express necessity: “it is needed”.
Word order
In Italian questions the interrogative word comes first, followed by the clitic and the verb (Cosa ci serve?).
🗨In Conversation
Cosa ci serve per la cena di stasera?
What do we need for tonight’s dinner?
Ci serve della pasta, del sugo di pomodoro e un po' di pane.
We need some pasta, tomato sauce, and a bit of bread.
✕Common Mistakes
Cosa serve?
Learners sometimes omit the clitic and say "Cosa serve?" which loses the sense of “for us”. Keep the "ci" to indicate the group’s need.
Cosa serve a noi?
Using the full prepositional phrase "serve a noi" sounds overly formal and is rarely used in spoken Italian.
Cosa ci servono?
The verb must agree with the singular impersonal subject; "serve" stays singular regardless of the plural object.
↔Alternatives
Di cosa abbiamo bisogno?
What do we need?
Che cosa ci serve?
What do we need?
Cosa dobbiamo prendere?
What must we get?
Cultural Tip
In everyday Italian, "ci serve" is the most natural way to ask about a collective need. The more formal "di cosa abbiamo bisogno" is common in written or polite speech. Italians often drop the clitic in very casual speech (e.g., "Cosa serve?"), but keeping "ci" clarifies that the need applies to the speaker’s group.