Italian Phrase
Mi passi un po' di ketchup?
Meaning
A polite way to ask someone to hand you a small amount of ketchup. The sentence uses a courteous form (present subjunctive) rather than a direct command, making it suitable for both casual and semi‑formal settings.
When to use
Use this phrase at a restaurant, at a friend’s house, or any dining situation where you need a condiment but want to sound polite and not demanding.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mipassiunpo'diketchup
Indirect object pronoun (Mi)
‘Mi’ indicates that the action is directed toward the speaker, equivalent to ‘to me’ in English.
Present subjunctive for polite request (passi)
In Italian, the second‑person singular present subjunctive (passi) is often used instead of the imperative to make a request sound more courteous.
Partitive expression (un po' di)
‘Un po' di’ means ‘a little bit of’ and is used to ask for an indefinite small amount.
Foreign loanword (ketchup)
‘Ketchup’ is a borrowed word; it stays unchanged in Italian and is pronounced with an Italian phonetic adaptation.
🗨In Conversation
Mi passi un po' di ketchup?
Could you pass me some ketchup?
Certo, eccolo!
Sure, here it is!
✕Common Mistakes
Mi passa un po' di ketchup?
‘Passa’ is the imperative form and can sound too direct; use the subjunctive ‘passi’ for politeness.
Mi passare un po' di ketchup?
Verb infinitives cannot be used directly after a pronoun in a request.
Mi passi un po di ketchup?
The apostrophe is required after ‘po’ to indicate the elision of the vowel.
↔Alternatives
Puoi passarmi un po' di ketchup?
Can you pass me a little ketchup?
Mi dai un po' di ketchup?
Can you give me a little ketchup?
Mi servirebbe un po' di ketchup.
I would need a little ketchup.
Cultural Tip
Ketchup is not a traditional Italian condiment, but it’s widely available in fast‑food chains, pizzerias, and households that enjoy international cuisine. When ordering in a classic Italian trattoria, you’ll more often hear requests for olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or fresh herbs instead of ketchup.