Shopping - A Guide To Learning The Basics of A New Language - Learn Italian

Learn Italian: A Guide To Learning The Basics of A New Language (2015)

Chapter 7. Shopping

Shopping is one of the ways to immerse yourself in another country’s culture. You can have an enriching experience while shopping in an Italian-speaking place if you know a few useful expressions to buy all the things you need.

You can find nearly all sorts of items in a grandi magazzino (department store) and a variety of stuff in the street markets (mercato) of Italy but if you have to buy something from specialty stores, these phrases will be helpful:

alimentary

grocery store

il supermercato

supermarket

la pasticceria

the pastry shop

il negozio

the store

la libreria

book store

La ferramenta

hardware store

Il negozio di abbigliamento

clothes shop

La profumeria

perfume shop

La farmacia

the pharmacy

La gioielleria

jewelry shop

Il negozio di giocattoli

toy shop

Il negozio di articoli sportivi

sports shop

La macelleria

butcher’s shop

Il negozio di scarpe

shoe shop

L'ottico

the optical shop

Shopping for Clothes

You will not run out of choices in Italy where the people are well-known for their great sense of style and high quality clothing. Many people from other countries travel to Italy just to shop.

You will find the following phrases useful when shopping for clothes:

Quanto costa?

How much is this?

Vorrei questo.

I would like this.

Vorrei __________

I’d like ___________

Sto cercando)_______

I’m looking for _________.

Avete ____________?

Do you have _________?

Sto solo guardando.

I’m just looking around.

Sto solo dando un'occhiata.

We’re just looking.

Posso provarla?

Can I try it on?

Lo prendo. / Li prendo.

I’ll take it. / I’ll take them all.

E' tutto.

That’s all.

E' troppo caro

It’s too expensive.

Che misura e'?

What size is it?

Questa maglia è troppo grande.

This sweater is too large.

Vorrei pagare in contanti.

I want to pay in cash.

While shopping, the sales assistant will offer to help you in several ways. Here are phrases you might hear from store employees:

Posso aiutarla?

May I help you?

Cerca qualcosa?

What would you like?

Eccola.

Here it is.

Ha bisogno di altro?

Is that all?

Firmi qui per favore.

Please sign here.

To find the right fit for your clothes, you can use the following descriptions of clothing Sizes (la taglia):  

piccolo

small

medio

medium

grande

big, large

largo

wide

corto

short

lungo

long

ho la taglia venti quattro

I wear size 24

stretto

tight

il numero di scarpa

shoe size

Useful Shop Terms:

soldi

money

Offerta special

son special offer

I saldi

sale (bargains)

L'entrata

entrance

L'uscita

exit

Orario di aperture

opening hours

Aperto

open

Chiuso

closed

borsa

bag

La cassa

cash desk

La carta de credito

credit card

Grocery Shopping

Most people prefer to go shopping every day to buy fresh meats and produce. While at the supermarket, meatshop, or seafood market, you have to be able to express not just the name of the items but also the quantity and quality you need. You will find the following terms and key phrases of great help if you need to shop at supermarkets or grocery stores.

Sto cercando _____________.

I’m looking for ______________.

Prendo ___ kili di ______.

I'll take number kilos of _______.

Grocery Items:

cioccolata

chocolate

crema

cream

formaggio

cheese

pane

bread

acqua

water

vino

wine

verdure

vegetables

zucchero

sugar

fiore

flower

Fruits (Frutta)

Mela

Apple

Pera

Pear

Banana

Banana

Arancia

Orange

Mandarino

Mandarin

Pompelmo

Grapefruit

Pesca

Peach

Albicocca

Apricot

Fragola

Strawberry

Ciliegia

Cherry

marena

Black cherry

Mirtillo

Blueberry

Lampone

Raspberry

Kiwi

Kiwi

Ananas

Pineapple

Limone

Lemon

Nespola

Medlar

Noce di cocco

Coconut

Uva

Grape

Melagrana

Pomegranate

Anguria

Watermelon

Melone

Melon

Vegetables

melanzana

aubergine

carota

Carrot

sedano

celery

radicchio

chicory

aglio

garlic

lattuga

lettuce

cipolla

onion

prezzemolo

parsley

zucca

pumpkin

ravanello

radish

pomodoro

tomato

zucchina

zucchino