Italian Phrase
Sarah porta dei biscotti.
Meaning
Sarah brings some cookies (usually to share with others). The partitive article ‘dei’ signals that the exact number of cookies isn’t specified, just that there are a few.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to tell someone that a person is bringing a snack, especially in informal or semi‑formal gatherings like a coffee break, a picnic, or a family visit.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Sarahportadeibiscotti
Portare (present tense)
‘Porta’ is the third‑person singular present indicative of the verb ‘portare’ (to bring, to carry).
Partitive article ‘dei’
‘Dei’ is the plural masculine partitive article, used to indicate an indefinite amount of something (some).
Plural noun ‘biscotti’
‘Biscotti’ is the masculine plural of ‘biscotto’ (cookie). In Italian, plural nouns usually end in -i.
🗨In Conversation
Cosa ha portato Sarah?
What did Sarah bring?
Sarah porta dei biscotti.
Sarah brings some cookies.
✕Common Mistakes
Sarah porta un biscotti.
‘Un’ is singular; you need the plural partitive ‘dei’ for multiple cookies.
Sarah porta i biscotti.
Using the definite article ‘i’ makes the cookies specific, not just ‘some’. The original meaning is indefinite.
Sarah porta biscotti.
Italian requires an article before a plural noun; omitting it sounds ungrammatical.
↔Alternatives
Sarah ha portato dei biscotti.
Sarah has brought some cookies.
Sarah porta dei biscotti per tutti.
Sarah brings some cookies for everyone.
Sarah porta dei biscotti freschi.
Sarah brings some fresh cookies.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, it’s common to bring food to a gathering as a sign of hospitality. Using the partitive article ‘dei’ (some) is typical when you’re not counting the exact pieces, whereas ‘i biscotti’ would refer to a specific batch already known to the listeners.