Il Supermercato - Nozioni Base
Italian supermarkets (supermercati) are organized similarly to those in other countries, but knowing the specific vocabulary will make your shopping experience much smoother.
Basic Supermarket Vocabulary
Cultural Tip: In Italy, you usually need to pay for shopping bags (sacchetti). Many supermarkets also require you to weigh and label your own fruits and vegetables before going to the checkout.
Exercise 1: Basic Vocabulary
Translate these supermarket terms to Italian:
Reparti e Prodotti (Departments & Products)
Italian supermarkets are divided into various departments. Here are the main ones with typical products:
🍎 Reparto Ortofrutta (Fruits & Vegetables)
Frutta (Fruit): Mela (apple), Banana (banana), Arancia (orange), Fragola (strawberry)
Verdura (Vegetables): Pomodoro (tomato), Lattuga (lettuce), Carota (carrot), Cipolla (onion)
Important: Weigh and label produce at the "bilancia"
🥛 Reparto Latticini (Dairy Products)
Latte - Milk
Yogurt - Yogurt
Formaggio - Cheese
Burro - Butter
Panna - Cream
🍞 Reparto Panetteria (Bakery)
Pane - Bread
Panini - Rolls
Pizza - Pizza
Focaccia - Focaccia bread
Brioche - Croissant
🥩 Reparto Macelleria (Butcher)
Pollo - Chicken
Manzo - Beef
Maiale - Pork
Prosciutto - Ham
Salame - Salami
🐟 Reparto Pescheria (Fish Market)
Salmone - Salmon
Tonno - Tuna
Gamberi - Shrimp
Cozze - Mussels
Calamari - Squid
🍝 Reparto Gastronomia (Deli & Prepared Foods)
Pasta fresca - Fresh pasta
Insalate pronte - Ready-made salads
Piatti pronti - Ready meals
Antipasti - Appetizers
Common Food Items
Exercise 2: Food Vocabulary
Name these food items in Italian:
Fare la Spesa e Pagare (Shopping & Payment)
Knowing how to navigate the shopping and payment process is essential. Here's what you need to know:
📋 Esempio di Lista della Spesa (Sample Shopping List)
At the Checkout - Typical Conversation
Buongiorno! Ha la carta fedeltà?
No, non ce l'ho.
Va bene. Desidera un sacchetto?
Sì, per favore. Quanto costa?
Dieci centesimi. In totale sono ventotto euro e cinquanta.
Pago con la carta.
Perfetto. Inserisca il PIN, per favore... Ecco lo scontrino. Arrivederci!
Grazie, arrivederci!
Payment Methods & Useful Phrases
- Carta di credito - Credit card
- Carta di debito - Debit card
- Contanti - Cash
- Carta fedeltà - Loyalty card
- Buoni sconto - Coupons
Useful Phrases:
- "Dove si trova...?" - Where can I find...?
- "Quanto costa?" - How much does it cost?
- "Ha...?" - Do you have...?
- "Pago con..." - I'll pay with...
- "Posso avere un sacchetto?" - Can I have a bag?
- "Dov'è la bilancia per la frutta?" - Where is the scale for fruit?
Money Format: In Italy, prices are written with commas as decimal separators. For example: €2,50 means two euros and fifty cents. Thousands are separated by periods or spaces: €1.500 or €1 500.
Exercise 3: Shopping Dialogue
Complete the supermarket conversation:
Practice Exercises
Exercise 4: Vocabulary Matching
Match the Italian supermarket terms with their English translations:
Exercise 5: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct answer:
Exercise 6: Create a Shopping List
Write a shopping list in Italian for these items: milk, bread, apples, pasta, cheese
Exercise 7: Supermarket Scenario
You're in an Italian supermarket and can't find the yogurt. Write a question to ask an employee: