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Italian phrases for dry cleaning and shoe repairs in Italy

At the dry cleaner’s, say what you’re leaving: “Vorrei far lavare questi capi”. Point out stains: “Riesce a togliere questa macchia?”, then ask “Quando posso ritirarlo?”. At the cobbler’s, show the shoe and ask “Può ripararlo?” and “Quanto costerebbe la riparazione?”.

Try it · about two minutes

You leave a coat at the dry cleaner’s, then take a shoe with a loose heel to the cobbler’s next door.

Sound on: the shop assistant speaks Italian. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. Shop assistant

    Posso aiutarla?

    Can I help you?

    You

    Vorrei far lavare questi capi.

    I’d like to have these items cleaned.

  2. Shop assistant

    Mi dice il suo nome, per favore?

    Can I have your name, please?

    You

    Mi chiamo Alex Martin.

    My name is Alex Martin.

  3. Shop assistant

    Ecco il suo scontrino.

    Here’s your receipt.

    You

    Quando sarà pronto?

    When will it be ready?

  4. Next door, at the cobbler’s, you put a shoe on the counter. The heel is hanging off.

    You

    Può ripararlo?

    Can you fix it?

  5. Shop assistant

    Sarà pronto tra dieci minuti.

    It’ll be ready in ten minutes.

    You

    Quanto costerebbe la riparazione?

    How much would the repair cost?

  6. Shop assistant

    Paga con la carta o in contanti?

    Will you pay by card or in cash?

    You

    Accettate le carte?

    Do you accept cards?

Which Italian phrases do you need?

  • Vorrei far lavare questi capi.

    I’d like to have these items cleaned.

  • Riesce a togliere questa macchia?

    Can you get this stain out?

  • Quanto costa lavare questo cappotto?

    How much does it cost to clean this coat?

  • Quando sarà pronto?

    When will it be ready?

  • Quando posso ritirarlo?

    When can I pick it up?

  • Può ripararlo?

    Can you fix it?

  • Vale la pena ripararlo?

    Is it worth repairing?

  • Quanto costerebbe la riparazione?

    How much would the repair cost?

  • Può farmi un preventivo prima di iniziare?

    Can you give me a quote before you start?

  • Sarà pronto tra dieci minuti.

    It’ll be ready in ten minutes.

What is worth knowing in Italy?

At the dry cleaner’s

  1. 1

    Show the item and point out any stain.

    Can you get this stain out?
  2. 2

    Give your name and keep the slip they hand you.

    Here’s your receipt.
  3. 3

    Ask when it will be ready, and bring the slip back to collect it.

    When can I pick it up?

Tintoria or lavanderia

A tintoria is a dry cleaner’s, for coats and suits. A lavanderia may be a laundry, though many shops do both.

The calzolaio does more

Many cobblers, calzolai, also cut keys and mend bags and belts. If you need a spare key, ask.

Fate le copie delle chiavi?

Do you make copies of keys?

Questions about this situation

Which Italian phrases matter most here?
“Vorrei far lavare questi capi.” (I’d like to have these items cleaned); “Riesce a togliere questa macchia?” (Can you get this stain out); “Quanto costa lavare questo cappotto?” (How much does it cost to clean this coat). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?
Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?
Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Italy. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in Italian

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Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.