Collins Dictionaries - Easy Learning Italian Conversation

• If you’re behind the wheel of a car, be ready to produce your driving licence if asked for it by the police. If you haven’t got it with you, you may well be fined. The police officer might ask you: patente, prego( your driving licence, please ). Italian drivers also have to be able to produce their libretto di circolazione( registration document ) and their assicurazione( insurance certificate ).

• Motorways are not free in Italy. When you go onto the motorway, you get a biglietto. When you come off the motorway this will show how many kilometres you’ve driven and how much you have to pay ( il pedaggio). Telepassis an electronic toll collection system used to collect il pedaggioand gives access to reserved lanes.

• If you’re asked to produce your bigliettoon the bus, the train or the underground, it means that you have to show your ticket to the inspector.

• Generally, you have to buy your ticket before getting on a bus. Once on board the bus, you date-stamp the ticket by punching it in a machine. You can buy tickets at newsagents and many tobacconists. If you are staying in a place for some time, it may be worth buying an abbonamento, which will last a week or a month from when it is first stamped.

• Train tickets need to be punched before you get on a train. Tickets are only valid if date-stamped, so if you have forgotten to do this, it is advisable to go and see il controllore( the ticket inspector ) as soon as possible, or you might be fined.

• If you’re in a hurry, you can hop on the train and buy a ticket directly from a ticket inspector. This will cost you more, however. If you contact the inspector as soon as you get on the train or before the first stop the fine is around 5 €; otherwise you’ll be faced with a more expensive fine of 60 € or more.

• Queues tend to be informal in Italy. So if you’re trying to get to an information desk and don’t know if it’s your turn, just ask Tocca a me?. If you want to let someone in before you, you can say prego, dopo di lei( after you ).

If you’re going to stay in Italy, the phrases in this unit will provide you with the language you need to help you find the sort of accommodation you want and ensure everything is to your satisfaction when you’re there. We’ll also give you a few tips on what the receptionist or your landlord or landlady may say to you.

To say what kind of accommodation you want in Italian, use vorrei( I’d like ), or, if you want to be slightly more direct, voglio( I want ). These come from the verb volere( to want ). For more information on volere, see here.

When you want to find out if something is available, use Avete…?( Do you have…? ) or Avreste…?( Would you have…? ). These come from the verb avere( to have ). For more information on avere, see here.

If you want to ask for something, you can use Mi dà..?( Can I have…? ).

If you are asking someone whether they can do something for you, use Può…?( Can You…? ) and Potrebbe…?( Could You…? ) or, more informally, Puoi…?or Potresti…?. They all come from the verb potere( to be able ). For more information on potere, see here.

When you are enquiring about somewhere to stay you will need to give information about yourself. Use sono( I am) to talk about yourself and siamo( we are ) to include the people who are with you. These come from the verb essere( to be ). For more information on essere, see here.