Italian Phrase
Stasera mangiamo la pasta.
Meaning
‘Tonight we eat pasta.’ The sentence uses the present tense to describe a dinner plan that will happen later this evening. It’s a straightforward way to tell someone what’s on the menu.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re discussing dinner plans with family, friends, or roommates, especially when you want to emphasize that pasta will be served tonight.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Staseramangiamolapasta
Stasera (adverb of time)
Means ‘tonight’; placed at the beginning of the sentence to set the time reference.
Mangiamo (present indicative, 1st person plural)
Form of the verb ‘mangiare’ (to eat). In everyday speech the present can refer to a planned near‑future action.
La (definite article)
Feminine singular article that agrees with the noun ‘pasta’.
Pasta (feminine noun)
A staple Italian food; the article can be omitted in informal speech when talking about food in general.
🗨In Conversation
Stasera mangiamo la pasta, ti va?
Tonight we’re having pasta, does that sound good?
Sì, adoro la carbonara!
Yes, I love carbonara!
✕Common Mistakes
Stasera mangiamo pasta.
Dropping the article is possible in very informal speech, but with a specific dish you usually keep ‘la’.
Stasera mangeremo la pasta.
‘Mangeremo’ (future) is correct grammatically, but Italians prefer the present for near‑future plans like tonight’s dinner.
↔Alternatives
Stasera ceniamo la pasta.
Tonight we have pasta for dinner.
Stasera facciamo la pasta.
Tonight we’re making pasta.
Stasera preparo la pasta.
Tonight I’m preparing pasta.
Cultural Tip
Pasta is a central part of Italian cuisine, but it’s usually served as a first course (primo) rather than the main dish. In many families dinner (cena) starts with a light salad, then pasta, followed by a protein or vegetable side. Saying ‘Stasera mangiamo la pasta’ is informal and works best with people you know well; with strangers you might say ‘Stasera serviamo della pasta’ to sound a bit more polite.