Italian Phrase
Mi puoi portare un altro cuscino?
Meaning
Literally, ‘Can you bring me another pillow?’ It’s a polite, informal request for an extra pillow, often used in hotels or at home.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need an additional pillow, for example in a hotel room, at a friend’s house, or when rearranging cushions on a couch.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mipuoiportareunaltrocuscino?
Mi (indirect object pronoun)
‘Mi’ means ‘to me’ and is placed before the verb to indicate who receives the action.
Puoi (potere, present)
‘Puoi’ is the second‑person singular present of ‘potere’, used to ask for permission or ability.
Portare (infinitive)
The infinitive ‘portare’ follows ‘puoi’ to form a request: ‘can you bring…’.
Un altro (indefinite + adjective)
‘Un’ is the masculine singular indefinite article; ‘altro’ agrees in gender and means ‘another’.
Cuscino (masculine noun)
‘Cuscino’ is a masculine noun meaning ‘pillow’; it takes the article ‘un’.
🗨In Conversation
Mi puoi portare un altro cuscino?
Can you bring me another pillow?
Certo, lo porto subito.
Sure, I’ll bring it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Puoi mi portare un altro cuscino?
The pronoun ‘mi’ must come before the verb, not after ‘puoi’.
Mi puoi portare un altra cuscino?
‘Cuscino’ is masculine, so the adjective must be ‘altro’, not ‘altra’.
Mi puoi portare mi un altro cuscino?
When using ‘puoi’, the infinitive follows directly; you don’t place the pronoun after the infinitive.
↔Alternatives
Potresti portarmi un altro cuscino?
Could you bring me another pillow?
Mi porta un altro cuscino, per favore?
Would you bring me another pillow, please?
Può portarmi un altro cuscino?
Can you (formal) bring me another pillow?
Cultural Tip
‘Puoi’ is informal; if you’re speaking to hotel staff or someone you don’t know well, switch to the formal ‘può’ (or use ‘potrebbe’ for extra politeness). Italians appreciate a brief ‘per favore’ or a smile when making a request.