Italian Phrase
Ci serve un seggiolone per un bambino.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘We need a high chair for a baby.’ It is a polite way to request a high chair, especially in a restaurant or at a friend’s house, indicating that the request is for the speaker’s group.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are at a restaurant, café, or any place that offers seating for children and you need a high chair for a baby. It is also useful when speaking to a babysitter or a family member who is preparing a space for a child.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ciserveunseggioloneperunbambino
Ci (indirect object pronoun)
‘Ci’ replaces ‘a noi’ and is used with verbs like ‘servire’ to mean ‘we need’ or ‘it is needed for us’.
Serve (verb servire)
Third‑person singular present of ‘servire’; with ‘ci’ it conveys a need: ‘ci serve’ = ‘we need’.
Un (indefinite article)
Masculine singular indefinite article used before a noun that begins with a consonant.
Seggiolone (masculine noun)
Means ‘high chair’; it is masculine, so it takes ‘un’ and agreement in adjectives.
Per (preposition)
Introduces the purpose or beneficiary: ‘for’.
Bambino (masculine noun)
Means ‘baby/child’; also masculine singular.
🗨In Conversation
Scusi, ci serve un seggiolone per un bambino.
Excuse me, we need a high chair for a baby.
Certo, ve lo porto subito.
Sure, I’ll bring it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Noi serve un seggiolone per un bambino.
‘Serve’ is third‑person singular; you must use the impersonal construction ‘ci serve’ instead of ‘noi serve’.
Ci serve una seggiolone per un bambino.
‘Seggiolone’ is masculine, so the correct article is ‘un’, not ‘una’.
Ci serve un seggiolone per una bambina.
‘Bambino’ is masculine; the feminine form is ‘bambina’. Use the gender that matches the child.
↔Alternatives
Abbiamo bisogno di un seggiolone per un bambino.
We need a high chair for a baby.
Ci serve una sedia alta per un bambino.
We need a high chair for a baby.
Potremmo avere un seggiolone per un bambino?
Could we have a high chair for a baby?
Cultural Tip
In most Italian restaurants, seggioloni are provided free of charge, but it’s still courteous to ask politely. Using ‘ci serve’ sounds natural and slightly formal, which fits well in public settings. Remember to say ‘scusi’ or ‘per favore’ to keep the request courteous.