Italian Phrase
Siamo abbastanza pieni, niente dolce.
Meaning
We’re quite full, so we won’t have any dessert. The adverb *abbastanza* adds a sense of ‘fairly’ or ‘quite’, while *niente dolce* is a short way of saying ‘no sweet/dessert’. It’s a polite way to decline the final course.
When to use
Use this sentence after a big lunch or dinner, especially in a restaurant, when you want to let the waiter know you’re satisfied and don’t need a dessert. It works both in casual conversation with friends and in a more formal dining setting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Siamoabbastanzapieni,nientedolce.
Siamo
First‑person plural present of the verb *essere* (to be).
abbastanza
An adverb meaning ‘enough, quite, fairly’; it modifies the adjective that follows.
pieni
Adjective ‘full’ agreeing in gender and number with the subject (we).
niente
Negative pronoun meaning ‘nothing, no’; it can replace a clause like *non vogliamo*.
dolce
Can be a noun (dessert, sweet) or an adjective; here it works as a noun.
🗨In Conversation
Siamo abbastanza pieni, niente dolce.
We’re quite full, no dessert.
Va bene, vi porto il caffè allora.
Alright, I’ll bring you coffee then.
✕Common Mistakes
Siamo abbastanza pieni, non niente dolce.
Italian avoids double negatives; *niente* already carries the negation.
Siamo abbastanza pieno, niente dolce.
The adjective must agree with the plural subject; use *pieni* for *noi*.
Siamo abbastanza pieni, niente dolci.
When you mean ‘dessert’ as a general category, the singular *dolce* is idiomatic after *niente*.
↔Alternatives
Siamo sazi, non vogliamo dolce.
We’re satisfied, we don’t want dessert.
Abbiamo mangiato tanto, niente dolce per noi.
We ate a lot, no dessert for us.
Sono pieno, passo il dolce.
I’m full, I’ll skip dessert.
Cultural Tip
In Italy it’s common to finish a meal with a small coffee (espresso) rather than a sweet. Declining dessert with *niente dolce* is perfectly polite, but many Italians will still offer a *caffè* or a *digestivo* (e.g., limoncello) as a final touch.