"I have coffee ice cream."

Translation: Ho il gelato al caffè.

[J.Franchomme]

Why is this sentence incorrect: "Ho un gelato al caffè" ?

[JaciRaeMurph]

It is not wrong, this is just highly ambiguous. If it is meant to say "I will have" in an ordering context you wouldn't use the verb avere (to have), you would use prendere (to take). For example "prendo un gelato al caffè" (I take a coffee ice cream) or "voglio prendere un gelato al cafè" (I want to take a coffee ice cream). The verb to have (avere) is not used in these contexts as it is in english. It thus depends on whether this sentence was intended to be a statement "ho un gelato al caffè" (I have a coffee ice cream) or a request "ho il gelato al caffè" (I have the coffee ice cream), but the second is just wrong and you would not use it in any context (source: my fiancé is Italian, native speaker). On a side note... "ho un gelato al caffè" can also mean "I have an ice cream at the cafè", while technically correct, is not used anymore, so just watch out for that.
Also, I noticed that most people are using "io" and I just wanted you let you all know that it is not necessary and not used in spoken Italian (just like tu, lui/lei, voi, noi and loro). You can just use the conjugated verb (eg. ho, hai, ha, avete, abbiamo, hanno). I hope this helps!

[victordebone]

Does Duolingo enforces "Io" use to avoid mistakes when translating "Have a coffee ice cream", which can mean imperative or affirmative, or does because of italian grammar?

[jvdiana]

If they are not using " the coffee ice cream" in English , why do they use the article "il" in the italian translation?

[pablogday]

Because it is "I have coffee ice cream", not "I have an ice cream at the cafe".

[Mortdecai]

In that case how would you say 'I have a coffee ice cream'?

[iobella]

your translation is "I have A coffee ice cream". Why Duo wanted il and un was not accepted is not clear. Perhaps someone could clarify. What's the diff?

[annzabaldo]

Interestingly ... I omitted the "il" completely and it was marked as correct. I'm now more confused than ever about when articles are required or optional. Anyone have a explanation?

[Manitari]

In everyday situations when we are refering to a specific object we use article (Io ho il pane- I have a certain bread) while when refering generaly to a thing we don't use it. I guess it is difficult for english speakers because you don't use articles.
Let me explain it better: -Give me the bread- i think it is translated in italian as "Dammi il pane", you will use this sentence when you are sitting in the table and you are asking your friend to give you the bread you have on your table. While- Give me bread- "Dammi pane", you will say that in a grocery shop, you want bread in general.

[GinaCarrie]

I didn't use "il" either, but my answer was marked wrong.

[arzatres]

It means i have a coffee ice cream

[Punkmom]

When you say "un gelato" it means "an ice cream." When you say "il gelato" it means either "ice cream" or "the ice cream."

[cfjcfj]

moo

[ahmedmaram]

I have one coffe ice cream .. It should be the not one

[lillil197]

You said "un" instead of "il"

[LisaReed27]

Because it is the ice cream, not a ice cream, therefore it would be Ho il gelato al caffè

[loscolaro]

caffè affogato duolingo...please look that up it confuses people who have been to italy and actually ordered from the bar.

[JaciRaeMurph]

You would say "prendo un affogato al caffè", yeah? Because affogato is a type of gelato, caffè is the flavour?

[an114]

why is this wrong this is what i entered io ho il caffè gelato

[LisaReed27]

Because you just said that you have ice cream flavored coffee when really you have coffee flavored ice cream. Therefore it would be Ho il gelato al caffè

[lilyroseoar]

how come i said io and it said i was wrong

[Heppsi]

"ho" is conjugated from the verb "to have: avere".

And, unlike in English, a verb gives out quite a lot of information. Just by looking at it you'll know who the text speaks of - "ho" tells that it's YOU (as in first person singular), so you don't need to type out "io".

simple chart:
-http://iltavoloitaliano.com/learning_avere_present_tense/

[jeffwells45]

Thanks Heppsi for that link. Really useful.

[CompuChip]

Does it need the article? I just had "di" and it was wrong :)

[xnickycolex]

why do you use "al" isnt "al" for "to the"

[-penguin-]

"al" in this case can be treated as "with", like "made with". It works the same way in French. In English, you're used to prepositions having set meanings, in Romance languages like Italian and French, that's not the case. The meanings cover multiple things that we express differently in English. It's something you will have to get used to when learning a new language. Throw away your English mind.

[Viaggiatore]

Not always. Chocolate ice cream would be gelato al cioccolato.

[Cmfleming]

why is chocolate ice cream said crema al cioccolato & coffee ice cream is gelato al caffe?

[Punkmom]

"crema al cioccolato" = chocolate cream
"gelato al cioccolato" = chocolate ice cream

[curiousminds]

Aaah tricked me! :D I was thinking of 'have' as in 'eat', like 'I have beans on toast." Darn! :)

[ewoodez]

Why is it "ho il.." and not "ho io" cause there isn't a the..shouldn't it be "ho gelato al caffè" anyways

[IvaKoleva]

I'm using the android app... How to enter the accent on e in caffe?

[AmandaHunt3]

On my samsung I hold my finger on the e button and it pulls up all options for the letter, è, é, ê, ë

[IvaKoleva]

It worked! Thank you :)

[pmnieves]

I just typed this translation in on a previous page and it said I left out a word. I didn't include the 'Io.' Fix this please.

[karen.cosm]

I am confused about the different accent over e . What are the rules or pronunciation differences?

[JimmyJohn1]

Why is "ho il gelato al caffe" not "i have the coffee ice cream" but "i have coffee ice cream"?

[DorotheeHa]

Gelato gusto cafè is in my opinion the right expression

[Ana-MariaBalan]

Non e bene