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Italian phrases for finding things in the supermarket in Italy

Catch a member of staff and start with “Scusi”: “Mi dice dov’è il riso?” or “In quale corsia ci sono i detersivi?”. You’ll often hear “Vada dritto” or “È laggiù”. If you missed it, ask “Può ripetere, per favore?”. If the shelf is empty, try “Ne avete ancora in magazzino?”.

Try it · about two minutes

You can’t find the flour or the frozen aisle, so you stop a member of staff and ask.

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

    Come posso aiutarla?

    How can I help you?

    You

    Scusi, dov’è la farina?

    Excuse me, where is the flour?

  2. Shop assistant

    Vada dritto.

    Go straight on.

    You

    Può ripetere, per favore?

    Can you repeat that, please?

  3. Shop assistant

    È sulla destra.

    It is on the right.

    You

    Mi dice dov'è il riso?

    Can you tell me where the rice is?

  4. Shop assistant

    Oggi lo abbiamo finito.

    We are sold out of that today.

    You

    Ne avete ancora in magazzino?

    Do you have any more in the stockroom?

  5. Shop assistant

    Desidera altro?

    Would you like anything else?

    You

    In quale corsia ci sono i detersivi?

    Which aisle has the cleaning products?

  6. Shop assistant

    È laggiù.

    It is over there.

    You

    Grazie per l'aiuto.

    Thank you for your help.

Which Italian phrases do you need?

  • Come posso aiutarla?

    How can I help you?

  • Do solo un'occhiata, grazie.

    I am just looking, thanks.

  • Scusi, dov'è il pane?

    Excuse me, where is the bread?

  • Mi dice dov'è il riso?

    Can you tell me where the rice is?

  • In quale corsia ci sono i detersivi?

    Which aisle has the cleaning products?

  • Ne avete ancora in magazzino?

    Do you have any more in the stockroom?

  • Oggi lo abbiamo finito.

    We are sold out of that today.

  • Dov'è la cassa?

    Where is the checkout?

  • Questo è in offerta?

    Is this on offer?

  • È laggiù.

    It is over there.

What is worth knowing in Italy?

Finding your way

  1. 1

    Signs above the aisles name each section, such as surgelati (frozen) or ortofrutta (fruit and veg).

  2. 2

    Not found it? Ask any member of staff, starting with “Scusi”.

    Excuse me, please.
  3. 3

    At the deli counter you often take a numbered ticket and wait to be called.

Lei, not tu

With staff

Mi dice dov'è il riso?

Can you tell me where the rice is?

Among friends

Mi dici dov’è il riso?

Can you tell me where the rice is? (informal)

Staff are addressed with the polite Lei, so “dice”, not “dici”. Tu is for friends and family.

Empty shelf?

If a shelf is empty, ask whether there’s more in the stockroom, il magazzino. Staff will sometimes check for you.

Ne avete ancora in magazzino?

Do you have any more in the stockroom?

Questions about this situation

Which Italian phrases matter most here?
“Come posso aiutarla?” (How can I help you); “Do solo un'occhiata, grazie.” (I am just looking, thanks); “Scusi, dov'è il pane?” (Excuse me, where is the bread). 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.