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Learn languages by copying everyday conversations.

Free Italian audio course

Learn by copying everyday conversations.

Hear a short scene, understand the useful phrases, copy them out loud, then try your own answers in the pauses.

Episode 4

Monday coffee rescue

Italian · A1 beginner · 10 minutes · No signup

Download MP3 (7.5 MB) Read the transcript

Free to play, download, and read, with no account or email needed.

Voices are AI-generated. Luca, the teacher, and Sam, the learner, are fictional characters.

All episodes

Take them in order: each episode builds on the phrases before it. Every one is free to play, download, and read.

  1. Episode 1

    First day at the café

    A1 beginner · 9 minutes

  2. Episode 2

    At the bar

    A1 beginner · 10 minutes

  3. Episode 3

    At the train station

    A1 beginner · 11 minutes

  4. Episode 4

    Monday coffee rescue

    A1 beginner · 10 minutes · Playing on this page

  5. Episode 5

    Numbers at the market

    A1 beginner · 10 minutes

More episodes are coming

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Episodes 1 to 5 are out in every language. See all free audio courses.

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How the lesson works

  1. 1

    Hear the scene

    Sam meets a cheerful colleague, played by Luca, on a Monday morning at work. First, you just listen for why he's so cheerful.

  2. 2

    Understand the useful phrases

    Luca explains each phrase in English, only as much as helps your next try.

  3. 3

    Copy them out loud

    Say each phrase in the pause after you hear it. Copy the sound and rhythm before worrying about grammar.

  4. 4

    Try your answers

    Say how you are from memory, swap tired for a little nervous, then play Sam. A spoken answer follows every pause, so you can compare.

Missed an answer? Keep listening. The words come back, and you don’t need to touch the screen once the episode is playing.

After this episode

You can ask a friend or colleague how they are, say you're well but tired, ask why someone is so cheerful, and accept a coffee.

Level A1. Written for adult English speakers starting Italian. You don’t need any Italian to begin.

Phrases you’ll say

  • Ciao, come stai?

    Hi, how are you?

  • Sto bene, ma sono stanca.

    I'm well, but I'm tired. (A man says stanco.)

  • E tu perché sei così allegro?

    And why are you so cheerful?

  • Due? Adesso capisco.

    Two? Now I understand.

  • Sì, grazie. Ora sto già meglio.

    Yes, thanks. I already feel better now.

Phrases you’ll recognize

  • Anch'io. Il lunedì è difficile.

    Me too. Mondays are hard.

  • Perché ho due caffè.

    Because I have two coffees.

  • Vuoi un caffè?

    Do you want a coffee?

  • Vedi? Il lunedì ha una soluzione.

    See? Mondays have a solution.

Listening with your screen off

The download is the most reliable way. Save the MP3 and play it offline in any audio app. Your browser puts it with your other downloads (on iPhone, in the Files app).

Playing from this page can keep going when you lock your phone, depending on your phone and browser. Some pause when you switch apps or close the tab. If yours does, use the download.

The speaking pauses are optional. If you’re driving, keep your attention on the road: just listen, or skip the speaking parts. The episode says the same.

Transcript

Every word of Episode 4. Choose a time to play from there. “Your turn” marks a pause for you to speak; Italian is in bold.

Welcome

Sam: Monday morning. I'm at work. Technically.

Luca: Then let's wake you up. I'm Luca, and this is Copycat Cafe.

Sam: And I'm Sam. Mostly awake.

Luca: Sam and I are AI-generated voices. Today you'll ask a colleague how they are, say how you are, and accept a coffee when it saves your Monday. Listen first. Copy the sound. Then try the words for yourself.

Luca: If you miss an answer, let it go. You'll hear it again. If you're driving, keep your attention on the road and skip the speaking exercises.

Luca: First, a quick warm-up from last time. If you're new, just listen. Ask a stranger politely: excuse me, where's the café?

Your turn · 6-second pause

Luca: Scusi, dov'è il bar?

Sam: Scusi, dov'è il bar?

Luca: Today there's no stranger. Just a colleague who knows you too well.

Monday coffee rescue

Luca: Here's the whole scene. Two colleagues meet on a Monday morning. Sam is one of them. I'm the other. Just listen for one thing: why is Sam's colleague so cheerful?

Luca: Ciao, come stai?

Sam: Sto bene, ma sono stanca.

Luca: Anch'io. Il lunedì è difficile.

Sam: E tu perché sei così allegro?

Luca: Perché ho due caffè.

Sam: Due? Adesso capisco.

Luca: Vuoi un caffè?

Sam: Sì, grazie. Ora sto già meglio.

Luca: Vedi? Il lunedì ha una soluzione.

Ask how someone is

Sam: Two coffees. That's not cheerfulness. That's a strategy.

Luca: It is. And he shares it. It starts with ciao, come stai? Hi, how are you? Between colleagues, this is the friendly form. Copy it: come stai.

Your turn · 4-second pause

Luca: Now the whole greeting: ciao, come stai?

Your turn · 4.5-second pause

Say how you are

Luca: Sam answers: sto bene, ma sono stanca. I'm well, but I'm tired. Sto bene, I'm well. Copy it: sto bene.

Your turn · 4-second pause

Luca: Ma, but. You heard it at the station. Sono stanca, I'm tired. Sam says stanca. A man says stanco. It's the same switch as nervosa and nervoso. Copy the version that fits you: sono stanca. Or: sono stanco.

Your turn · 5-second pause

Luca: Now the whole line, with your ending. Sto bene, ma sono stanca. Or: sto bene, ma sono stanco.

Your turn · 6.5-second pause

Luca: Now without hearing the Italian first. A colleague asks how you are. Say: I'm well, but I'm tired.

Your turn · 6.5-second pause

Luca: Sto bene, ma sono stanca. Or: sono stanco. Notice the two words for I'm. Sto bene, for how you're doing. Sono stanca, for tired. You don't need a rule yet. Keep them as two phrases.

Change the feeling

Luca: Now change the feeling. From your first day at the café: un po' nervosa, a little nervous. Or nervoso. Say: I'm well, but I'm a little nervous.

Your turn · 7-second pause

Luca: Sto bene, ma sono un po' nervosa. Or: un po' nervoso. Same start, new feeling.

Ask why

Luca: Back to the scene. The colleague says: anch'io. Il lunedì è difficile. Me too. Mondays are hard. Just recognise that one.

Luca: Then Sam asks: e tu perché sei così allegro? And why are you so cheerful? Perché, why. Così allegro, so cheerful. Allegro, because he's a man. To a woman, Sam would say allegra. Copy it: perché sei così allegro?

Your turn · 5.5-second pause

Luca: Now the whole question: e tu perché sei così allegro?

Your turn · 6-second pause

Luca: He answers: perché ho due caffè. The same word, perché, now means because. Here's a quick check. Perché ho due caffè. How many coffees does he have? Say it in English.

Your turn · 4-second pause

Luca: Two. Due. Because I have two coffees. And Sam says: due? Adesso capisco. Two? Now I understand. Adesso, now. Capisco, I understand. Copy it: adesso capisco.

Your turn · 4.5-second pause

Accept the coffee

Luca: Then he offers: vuoi un caffè? Do you want a coffee? And Sam says: sì, grazie. Yes, thanks. Copy it: sì, grazie.

Your turn · 4-second pause

Luca: Then: ora sto già meglio. I already feel better now. Ora, now. Già, already. Sto meglio, I'm better: the same sto as in sto bene. Copy it: ora sto già meglio.

Your turn · 5.5-second pause

Luca: Once more, the whole reply: sì, grazie. Ora sto già meglio.

Your turn · 6-second pause

Luca: And he has the last word: vedi? Il lunedì ha una soluzione. See? Mondays have a solution.

Sam: The solution is someone else's coffee.

Your Monday

Luca: Let's put it together. You take Sam's part. I'm your colleague. In this scene, use Sam's ending: stanca. I'll start.

Luca: Ciao, come stai?

Luca: Say you're well, but tired.

Your turn · 6.5-second pause

Luca: Anch'io. Il lunedì è difficile.

Luca: Ask why he's so cheerful.

Your turn · 6-second pause

Luca: Perché ho due caffè.

Luca: Say: two? Now I understand.

Your turn · 5-second pause

Luca: Vuoi un caffè?

Luca: Say yes, thanks, and that you already feel better.

Your turn · 7-second pause

Luca: Vedi? Il lunedì ha una soluzione.

Luca: Here's one version of your part. Sto bene, ma sono stanca. E tu perché sei così allegro? Due? Adesso capisco. Sì, grazie. Ora sto già meglio. If you missed a step, that's fine. These gaps are for practice, not a test.

Listen again

Luca: Let's hear the original scene again. No explanations this time. Notice which bits you recognise.

Luca: Ciao, come stai?

Sam: Sto bene, ma sono stanca.

Luca: Anch'io. Il lunedì è difficile.

Sam: E tu perché sei così allegro?

Luca: Perché ho due caffè.

Sam: Due? Adesso capisco.

Luca: Vuoi un caffè?

Sam: Sì, grazie. Ora sto già meglio.

Luca: Vedi? Il lunedì ha una soluzione.

Your turn

Luca: Now it's your Monday. Sam will stay quiet. The prompts are shorter this time, and one thing changes: you're not tired today. You're a little nervous. I'll start.

Luca: Ciao, come stai?

Luca: Now: well, but a little nervous.

Your turn · 7-second pause

Luca: Anch'io. Il lunedì è difficile.

Luca: Now ask why he's so cheerful.

Your turn · 6-second pause

Luca: Perché ho due caffè.

Luca: Now say: two? Now I understand.

Your turn · 5-second pause

Luca: Vuoi un caffè?

Luca: Now accept, and say you already feel better.

Your turn · 7-second pause

Luca: Vedi? Il lunedì ha una soluzione.

Luca: Here's one version of your part: Sto bene, ma sono un po' nervosa. E tu perché sei così allegro? Due? Adesso capisco. Sì, grazie. Ora sto già meglio.

Sam: Nervous, then rescued by coffee. A very normal Monday.

Keep the phrases

Luca: Two last lines from memory. You meet a colleague. Say: hi, how are you?

Your turn · 4.5-second pause

Luca: Ciao, come stai? Now they ask you back. Say: I'm well, but I'm tired.

Your turn · 6.5-second pause

Luca: Sto bene, ma sono stanca. Or: sono stanco. Keep come stai to ask a friend or colleague, and sto bene for how you're doing. Next time, we're at a market, with numbers and prices. This is the free audio course from Copycat Cafe. The optional app has today's matching lesson, Monday coffee rescue. A presto!

Sam: A presto! I'll be near the coffee machine.

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About this episode

Episode 4 of the free Copycat Cafe Italian audio course. It’s adapted from “Monday coffee rescue”, lesson 4 of our Italian course.

Luca and Sam are fictional characters with AI-generated voices. The music is original.

Want feedback on your pronunciation?

The free course gives you the phrases, the pauses, and an answer to compare with. It can’t hear you. The Copycat Cafe app is a paid app that adds a pronunciation score on every word you say, and conversations with Copy, your AI conversation partner, that respond to what you actually say. In the app, “Monday coffee rescue” uses the same scene.

See how Copycat works