Italian Phrase
Mi dai un altro tovagliolo?
Meaning
Literally, ‘Will you give me another napkin?’ It is a polite way to ask for a second napkin, usually in a restaurant or café setting. The phrase uses a direct request format rather than a more formal ‘potrebbe’ construction, making it friendly but still courteous.
When to use
Use this sentence when you are at a table and need an extra napkin – for example, after finishing a meal, when the first napkin is dirty, or when you simply want a fresh one. It works in casual dining, family meals, and even in a home setting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Midaiunaltrotovagliolo?
Indirect object pronoun (Mi)
‘Mi’ is the first‑person singular indirect object pronoun, placed before the verb to indicate ‘to me’.
Verb conjugation (dai)
‘Dai’ is the second‑person singular present indicative of ‘dare’ (to give).
Indefinite article + adjective (un altro)
‘Un’ agrees with the masculine singular noun ‘tovagliolo’; ‘altro’ means ‘another’ and follows the article.
Noun gender (tovagliolo)
‘Tovagliolo’ is a masculine singular noun meaning ‘napkin’; its plural is ‘tovaglioli’.
Question intonation
Even though the sentence is a request, the rising intonation of a question makes it sound polite.
🗨In Conversation
Mi dai un altro tovagliolo?
Can you give me another napkin?
Certo, eccolo.
Sure, here you go.
✕Common Mistakes
Mi dai un altro tovaglioli?
‘Tovaglioli’ is plural; the article ‘un’ requires the singular ‘tovagliolo’.
Dai me un altro tovagliolo?
The indirect object pronoun must precede the verb, not follow it.
Mi dai altro tovagliolo?
The indefinite article ‘un’ cannot be omitted before a masculine singular noun.
↔Alternatives
Puoi darmi un altro tovagliolo?
Can you give me another napkin?
Mi potresti dare un altro tovagliolo, per favore?
Could you give me another napkin, please?
Vorrei un altro tovagliolo, per favore.
I would like another napkin, please.
Cultural Tip
In Italy it’s common to add ‘per favore’ or ‘scusa’ before a request to sound extra polite, especially with waitstaff. While ‘Mi dai…?’ is perfectly acceptable, using the conditional form (e.g., ‘Mi potresti dare…?’) is considered more formal. Also, never forget the article ‘un’ before ‘altro’; dropping it sounds unnatural.