Shopping in Italian: phrases for markets, shops and souvenirs
Shopping in Italian: phrases for markets, shops and souvenirs
Shopping in Italy is part of the trip. Think of the Saturday market where the stallholder hands you a peach to taste before you decide, or the small shoe shop where the owner disappears into the back room and comes out with your size. Neither of those moments works if you only point at things.
In this guide you’ll find a variety of Italian expressions grouped by situation: how to browse a souvenir shop without feeling pressured, asking for sizes and colors in a clothing store, buying fruit and cheese at a local market, and dealing with cash, cards and ATMs.
Souvenir Shops (Negozi di Souvenir)
Sto solo guardando I’m just looking
Quanto costa questo? How much does this cost?
Avete qualcosa di più economico? Do you have something cheaper?
È troppo caro It’s too expensive
Posso vedere quello? Can I see that one?
Lo prendo I’ll take it
Accettate carte di credito? Do you accept credit cards?
Posso avere uno sconto? Can I have a discount?
Fate spedizioni? Do you ship?
Clothing and Accessories (Abbigliamento e Accessori)
Che taglia è? What size is it?
Posso provarlo? Can I try it on?
Dov’è il camerino? Where is the fitting room?
Mi sta bene? Does it fit me well?
È troppo grande / piccolo It’s too big / small
Avete una taglia più grande? / più piccola? Do you have a larger / smaller size?
Avete altri colori? Do you have other colors?
Mi piace molto I like it very much
Local Markets (Mercati Locali)
Quanto costa al chilo? How much per kilo?
Mezzo chilo, per favore Half a kilo, please
Basta così. È tutto That’s it
Avete il resto? Do you have change?
Dealing with Money (Gestire il Denaro)
Dove posso cambiare i soldi? Where can I exchange money?
Qual è il cambio oggi? What’s the exchange rate today?
Dov’è un bancomat? Where is an ATM?
Posso pagare in contanti? Can I pay in cash?
Want a Hand?
This guide gives you the words for a morning in the shops or at the market. The conversation around you is harder to follow: the shopkeeper’s joke about the weather, or the price you hear out loud and have to catch at full speed.
A teacher can practice all of it with you, from getting the numbers and the sizes right to acting out a market exchange until the answers come without translating in your head.
Book a free trial lesson and get ready to shop in Italy like you’ve been doing it for years.