Italian Phrase
Certo, cosa stavi prendendo?
Meaning
Literally “Sure, what were you taking?” It is used to confirm agreement and then ask what someone was in the process of taking, often in a casual setting like a café or a shop.
When to use
Use this phrase after you have agreed to something or shown understanding, and you want to know what the other person was about to take or had just taken. It works well in informal conversations among friends or when a waiter checks what a customer ordered.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Certo,cosastaviprendendo?
Certo (adverb)
Used to express agreement or certainty, similar to “sure” or “of course” in English.
cosa (interrogative pronoun)
Means “what” and introduces a question about an object or action.
stavi prendendo (imperfetto progressivo)
The imperfect of ‘stare’ + gerund forms a past‑continuous construction, equivalent to “were taking/was taking.”
prendere (verb)
A versatile verb meaning “to take, to grab, to get.” In this context it refers to taking something (e.g., a drink, a piece of food).
🗨In Conversation
Certo, cosa stavi prendendo?
Sure, what were you taking?
Stavo prendendo un cappuccino.
I was taking a cappuccino.
✕Common Mistakes
Certo, cosa prendevi?
Using the simple imperfect ‘prendevi’ loses the sense of an ongoing action; the phrase should use the progressive form ‘stavi prendendo.’
Certo, che cosa stavi prendendo?
Adding ‘che’ is redundant; ‘cosa’ already functions as the interrogative pronoun.
Certo, cosa prendere?
Using the infinitive ‘prendere’ after ‘cosa’ is grammatically incorrect; you need the gerund ‘prendendo.’
↔Alternatives
Sì, cosa stavi prendendo?
Yes, what were you taking?
Va bene, cosa stavi prendendo?
Alright, what were you taking?
D’accordo, cosa stavi prendendo?
Okay, what were you taking?
Cultural Tip
In Italian, “certo” can be used both formally and informally, but it carries a friendly tone. When asking about food or drink, Italians often use the past continuous (stavo + gerund) to emphasize the action was in progress. Avoid sounding too abrupt; a warm smile and eye contact make the question feel natural.