Shopping and negotiating in Italy can be a delightful experience, more so when you can communicate in the local language.
To aid your shopping adventure, we've compiled a list of Italian words and phrases that you might find invaluable while browsing through Milan's fashion boutiques or haggling at a local market in Rome.
- Buongiorno (bwohn-jor-no) - Good morning / Good day
- Buonasera (bwohna-seh-rah) - Good evening
- Quanto costa? (kwahn-toh cost-ah) - How much does it cost?
- Accetto carta di credito? (ah-chet-toh car-tah dee creh-dee-toh) - Do you accept credit cards?
- Mi può fare uno sconto? (mee pwoh fare oo-noh scon-toh) - Can you give me a discount?
- È troppo caro! (eh troppo caro) - It's too expensive!
- Vorrei... (vo-rray) - I would like...
- Posso vedere questo? (pos-soh ve-deh-ray quess-toh) - Can I see this?
- Avete qualcosa di meno costoso? (ah-veh-teh qual-coh-sah dee meh-noh cost-oh-soh) - Do you have something less expensive?
- Mi piace questo (mee pee-ah-cheh quess-toh) - I like this
- Non mi piace questo (non mee pee-ah-cheh quess-toh) - I don't like this
- Prenderò questo (pren-deh-roh quess-toh) - I'll take this
- Dove posso trovare...? (doh-veh pos-soh tro-va-reh) - Where can I find...?
- Potrei provarlo? (po-trey pro-var-loh) - Can I try it on?
- Dov'è la cabina di prova? (doh-veh lah cah-bee-na dee pro-va) - Where is the fitting room?
- Aperto (ah-per-toh) - Open
- Chiuso (kee-u-so) - Closed
- Entrata (en-tra-tah) - Entrance
- Uscita (u-sci-ta) - Exit
- Grazie (gra-tsee-eh) - Thank you
- Arrivederci (ah-ree-veh-der-chee) - Goodbye
Now equipped with these helpful Italian phrases for shopping and negotiation, you should feel ready to dive into the vibrant Italian market scene. Remember, politeness and a friendly smile go a long way in any negotiation. Don't be shy to practice your new Italian skills - locals appreciate the effort and you might just snag a better deal!