"La cena è in tavola" is an idiom. Another correct translation for "Dinner is on the table" would be "La cena è sul tavolo".

Out of idioms, "tavolo" is more common. We use always tavola in the following cases, for example

"I cavalieri della tavola rotonda"

"la tavola da surf"

"andiamo a tavola"

"cosa c'è in tavola?"

If you stick to "tavolo", it should be ok, but pay attention because the prepositions could differ.

In addition to marziotta's explanation I'll add that my Italian friend explained to me that 'tavola' essentially refers to a table that is participating in the event of dining, rather than to a simple piece of furniture. This description helped me a lot with this type of phrase.

As I read somewhere tavolo is the table it self and tavola is the table with food on it...didnt see that in any other languages

I didn't read all 70+ responses, so this may have been answered. Tavola = a table prepared for eating, tavolo is for all others.

An Italian cooking show hostess always says at show's end: "Tutti a tavola a mangiare!"

Great article! Thanks for sharing the link.

Apparently that's correct as well.

It's an idiom

Same! My mom would have never bothered shouting "Dinner is on the table!" unless she was really mad. It's definitely more colloquial, too, to use the contracted form. Duo seems to hate them in most examples.

Hmmm...good point on this one. I've never really seen any instance where Duolingo did not recognize the contraction form of the correct as also a correct answer. I wonder if it is a glitch?

DL always seems to do that on fast setting when the preceding word ends with a vowel. In fact i think it might be dropping the vowel, it sounds like "la cen'è in tavola". Is this normal in spoken Italian or a persistent mistake by DL?

:dinner is on the table" sounds like the butler speaking, but we don't have one, so we say "dinnner's on the table" or "dinner's ready."

I think maybe it is because if you focus on the connotation of the two phrases, "Dinner is on the table" is more common, something you'd hear every day in a normal household. Or even like "Mamma grida 'La cena é in tavola!'" Conversely, "Dinner is served" has connotations of a butler whipping off the lid of a plate that is placed in front of you right at the moment of digging in with a fork. :-) Most people would not use that phrase in every day life, unless possibly for a dinner party with friends where they wanted to make a joke.

Note: This was not meant to be a condemnation of your comment, but rather an explanation of how I understand the two phrases to be different. Thanks for asking the question, as it was an interesting one! (I'm actually kind of disappointed that someone voted your comment "down", as even though the meaning is different, you were not being snarky or rude, and it was a valid question, so why would someone vote it down? :-( I'm voting you back up, and giving you a lingot for your trouble.)

I'd still say "Dinner is on the table", rather than "Dinner is served". Also, the sentence could be indicating "Dinner is on the table, not in the fridge" rather than it actually being served, in context.

I also tried "dinner is served" out of curiosity. Someone, who I think is an Italian contributor, said the Italian "la cena è in tavola" is idiomatic, making me think it should be at least considered. As linbur0100 says, though, it's the connotation of the Italian that's important. I'll report it (26 June 2016) and see what happens, but I'm open to it being wrong.

In this case, yes - this sentence is an idiom

When translating to english, write something that makes sense. Dinner is never in the table.

As for the second case, there are a number of nouns in italian where 'in' translates to 'at the' rather than english 'in', other nouns use 'al' or 'alla' as seems more natural to english speakers. The nouns like this also include 'campagna', 'montagna' and 'ristorante'. Sono in montagna, Mangia in ristorante. There is no solution other than to memorise them, or just wait until it becomes natural for you. Its just part of the language.

If it makes you feel any better, remember that the same kind of inconsistencies exist in english as well, think of 'I am at the beach' and 'I am in the country'.

I have the same problem with
figlio = son
When asked to translate figlio I have a reflex to say 'boy' (incorrect), because where I'm from it is common for someone to say, for instance when we are talking about my son, 'how's your boy?' ... I guess son would be understood / implied, but I still have to struggle not to lose my heart all the time :-D

That's right. Italian omits articles in some places where English uses them, and vice versa.

I think, since in the instances where "tavola" is used instead of "tavolo", it is indicating the table as a place prepared for dining, it follows the same kind of rules as for "in bagno" . They do not use the article in that construction either. Very confusing I agree, but from what I've been able to infer, for places in the home that have a specific name assigned to them (so, "bagno" as opposed to "la stanza per "bathing" or "la tavola" instead of "il tavolo per cena"), the article is omitted.

Please note: I am NOT a native speaker, so this should not be taken as gospel. This is just what I've inferred based on usage and my experience learning languages. I noticed you hadn't received a response, and wanted to put my two cents in. But if there is a native speaker who would be willing to weigh in, it would be much appreciated on my part.

Here's a link: Formatting Codes

It is definitely not common usage. I'm not sure if it is even technically correct, sorry.

Let's eat at the table. Let's sit at the table. Dinner is ON the table.

Yes, it's wrong. When we are talking about a meal we usually don't use "the" before the name of the meal:

• Come down for breakfast.
• Lunch is ready.
• Are you hungry for dinner.
• Breakfast is served from seven to ten.
• Lunch is included in the price of the ticket.
• Dinner is a time for being with the family.

However, when referring to the meal as an event, we do use "the":

• I will be at the reception, but I'm afraid I will have to miss the dinner.

On the other hand, "on table," "on floor" and "on plate" are all unnatural without "the." So the natural way to say it is, "Dinner is on the table."

"Dinner is at the table" is not natural in English. We say that the meal/food is on the table and the people eating are at the table.

By the way, it was not I who downvoted your comment. It seems that other users don't like your translation either, though.