Italian Phrase
Ci serve più carta igienica?
Meaning
A polite question asking whether we need more toilet paper. It’s commonly used in households, hotels, or any setting where supplies are being checked.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re running low on toilet paper and want to confirm with others whether to buy more, or when you’re helping a host restock a bathroom.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ciservepiùcartaigienica?
ci (indirect object pronoun)
‘ci’ replaces ‘a noi’ and means ‘to us/for us’; it is placed before the verb.
serve (impersonal verb)
Third‑person singular of ‘servire’; used impersonally to mean ‘is needed/required’.
più (comparative adverb)
Means ‘more’; placed before the noun it modifies.
carta igienica (noun phrase)
‘carta’ (paper) + ‘igienica’ (hygienic) – the standard term for ‘toilet paper’.
🗨In Conversation
Ci serve più carta igienica?
Do we need more toilet paper?
Sì, ne ho finita quasi tutta. Prendiamo un rotolo in più.
Yes, I'm almost out. Let's get an extra roll.
✕Common Mistakes
Ci serve più carta igienico?
‘igienico’ is masculine; the noun ‘carta’ is feminine, so the adjective must be ‘igienica’.
Ci serviamo più carta igienica?
‘serviamo’ means ‘we serve’; the impersonal form needed here is ‘serve’.
Ci serve più di carta igienica?
When ‘più’ directly modifies a noun, you don’t need ‘di’; just ‘più carta’.
↔Alternatives
Abbiamo bisogno di più carta igienica?
Do we need more toilet paper?
Ci serve altra carta igienica?
Do we need other toilet paper?
Serve più carta igienica?
Is more toilet paper needed?
Cultural Tip
In Italy, most public restrooms provide both toilet paper and a bidet, but many Italians still keep a small roll of paper at home. When asking for supplies in a shared apartment, it’s common to use the impersonal ‘serve’ construction, which sounds neutral and polite.