Italian Phrase
Che zuppa c'è oggi?
Meaning
Literally, 'What soup is there today?' It is the standard way to ask a restaurant, cafeteria, or host which soup is being served on the current day.
When to use
Use this phrase when you arrive at a place that offers a daily soup special, such as a trattoria, school canteen, or when a friend is cooking and you want to know the soup of the day.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Chezuppac'èoggi?
Che (what)
Interrogative adjective meaning 'what', placed before the noun it modifies.
zuppa (soup)
A feminine noun meaning 'soup' or 'stew', often used interchangeably with 'minestra' in Italy.
c'è (there is)
Contraction of 'ci è', the third‑person singular of 'essere' used to indicate existence or availability.
oggi (today)
Adverb of time meaning 'today'.
🗨In Conversation
Che zuppa c'è oggi?
What soup is there today?
Oggi c'è la zuppa di pomodoro, fresca e profumata.
Today we have tomato soup, fresh and fragrant.
✕Common Mistakes
Che zuppa è oggi?
Missing the existential verb 'c’è' which is required to ask about availability.
Che zuppa ci sono oggi?
Verb agreement error; 'ci sono' is plural, but the subject 'zuppa' is singular.
Che zuppa c'è adesso?
While grammatically correct, 'adesso' (now) sounds odd when referring to a daily menu; use 'oggi' instead.
↔Alternatives
Qual è la zuppa del giorno?
What is the soup of the day?
Che minestra c'è oggi?
What stew/soup is there today?
Che zuppa servite oggi?
What soup are you serving today?
Cultural Tip
In many Italian regions soup (zuppa or minestra) is served as a first course, often homemade and changing daily. Asking politely with 'c'è' shows you’re interested in the daily special. Remember that 'zuppa' can also refer to a thicker, heartier stew, especially in the north.