Ordinare al ristorante in italiano: dialogo semplice

What does “primo” mean on an Italian menu?

On an Italian menu, primo means “first course,” but it is not the appetizer. A primo is usually pasta, risotto, soup, etc.; the main meat or fish dish is usually the secondo, served afterward. The real starter is the antipasto, served before the primo. So “first” here means the first proper course, not a small bite to open the meal.

In the clip, ordering at a restaurant, the choice comes as “O un primo o un secondo?” — “Either a first course or a second course?” — right after someone says “l’antipasto no” (no starter). Primo comes from Latin primus, “first.” The words around it tell the whole meal: antipasto means “before the meal,” secondo is the “second” meat or fish course, and contorno is the side dish that goes with it. A full sit-down meal can run antipasto, primo, secondo with contorno, then dolce for dessert, though everyday meals often pick just one or two of these.