🎙 Welcome to  We learn Italian step by step  / Impariamo l’italiano piano piano🎧 Bonus Episode 11 – Voci dal Mercato - in Review - Part A

Introduction

Ciao Studenti Saggi, benvenuti!

Today we are going to go through the comprehension questions from Bonus Episode 10 and explore some of the real-life Italian language moments that happened al mercato. These include gentle corrections from the vendors, useful expressions that came out naturally, and a few quirks of marketplace language that are worth noticing.

Antonio:
Maira… scusa, ma devo dirti una cosa molto importante. Sono… deluso. Sì, deluso profondamente.

Myra:
You are deeply disappointed? Di cosa stai parlando?
What are you talking about?

Antonio:
Tu sei andata al mercato… senza di me?

Myra:
Oh right. Well, umm. 

Antonio:
Ma come?! Io, che conosco tutti i segreti del mercato italiano. Io, che so distinguere una focaccia veramente morbida da una focaccia solo così così. E tu… niente. Mi lasci a casa.

What do you mean?! I, who know all the secrets of the Italian market… I, who can tell a truly soft focaccia from one that’s only so-so… and you? Nothing. You leave me at home.

Myra:
Maybe I just wanted to see if I could make it on my own, complete immersion in the Italian marketplace.

Antonio:
Ma con me accanto avresti fatto una bellissima figura. Perfetta.
But with me by your side, you would have made a wonderful impression. Perfect.

Myra:
That’s probably true. I would have made a bella figura with you by my side.
But sometimes I need to stumble through on my own.
And I think it’s good for our Studenti Saggi to see that I don’t always have the right phrase or pronunciation, and that it’s okay.
Sbagliando si impara, vero?

By making mistakes, you learn, right?

Let’s take it banco per banco.

La Panetteria

La Panetteria - Domanda 1:

My first stop was the panetteria with our two venditrici - the commesse - Santi and Josi. 

The first question about the panetteria was about whether I asked for my focaccia to be morbida o croccante.
 Let’s have another listen to that section and see if you can hear my response.

Here is the excerpt from the panetteria:

La Panetteria - Estratto 1

Avete crescenza? Yes. Ok.

Piu grande. Piu grande? Si due.

E poi... Dimmi!

Foccaccia... Questi...

Morbida o croccante?

Ripeta.

Morbida o piu croccante?

Morbida per favore.

Una?... Una.

Metto insieme? 

Si, si, grazie.

Tutto a posto.

Tutto a posto cosi? OK.

Risposta alla Domanda 1 – Panetteria

So, what was the first venditrice, Santi asking?

The question Morbida o croccante? means:
Soft or crunchy?

So, she was asking what type of focaccia I want.
 And my response?

Morbida per favore.
 I asked for the soft one.

Before that, you may have heard me say:
 Avete crescenza?
 Crescenza is a soft, spreadable cheese. Because I had been to this shop before, Santi knew right away that I meant the focaccia with crescenza on top.

The Command Dimmi!
After that, she says:

Dimmi!
 which literally means Tell me! but in this context really means:
 Go ahead.
 or
 What else would you like?

You might recall this expression from our lesson on commands.

Di’ means say or tell in the imperative form.

Mi means to me.

In Italian markets, cafés, and small shops, you’ll hear versions of this all the time:

• Dimmi pure. (informal, even more gentle: Go ahead, feel free.)
• Dica pure. (formal version)
• Mi dica. (formal, and extremely common)
• Dica. (formal, concise and polite)

So even though Dimmi! is technically a command, what she is really saying is:

Okay, tell me what you want next.

Not demanding, just moving the interaction along.

The Command Ripetere

Then you hear me say:

Ripeta.

This is the formal imperative of ripetere, meaning:
Repeat, please.
This is a great phrase to use at a market stall or in any situation where a more formal tone is appropriate.

Since I know these two ladies quite well maybe I could have said, ‘ripeti’, the informal command.

Other options could be:

·        Come? (most common)

·        Può ripetere?
 Può of course is third person singular of potere.

What is the full conjugation of Potere in the present indicative? Let’s hear it.
 
 io posso
 tu puoi
 lui/lei può
 noi possiamo
 voi potete
 loro possono

So what is Può ripetere? Può ripetere? Is the formal version of ‘Can you repeat?’.
 If I want to say the informal version, puoi repetere?

One more example that you can use in this situation:

·        Come ha detto?

This one is using avere. The full conjugation of avere in the present inidicative:

io ho
 tu hai
 lui / lei ha
 noi abbiamo
 voi avete
 loro hanno

Therefore, Come ha detto? is  formal and informal would be Come hai detto? 

The next thing Santi asks is:

Metto insieme?
 Should I put them together in the same bag?

The Fixed Phrase - Si grazie

And I respond:

Sì, sì, grazie.

This is an interesting point.
 In English, when we accept something, we almost always say Yes please.
 But in Italian, the more natural response is:

Sì, grazie.

Literally: Yes, thank you.

Italian uses grazie in many situations where English uses please.
 Per favore, on the other hand, is more often used when you are making a request rather than accepting one.

So, at the market you’ll often hear:

Do you want a bag?
Vuole una borsina
 o
Vuole una borsa?
o
Vuole una borsina
 o
 Vuole un sacchetto?

Sì, grazie. 

A bit more?
 Un po’ di più? - Sì, grazie.

Tutto a posto

Next you hear me say:

Tutto a posto.
 and she replies:

Tutto a posto così?

Literally, tutto a posto means everything in place, but that’s almost never what it means in conversation.

In a market context, it means:
 Everything good?
 Is that everything?
 Are we done?

Some variations you might hear include:

We’re all set.
 Siamo a posto.

Everything okay?
Tutto a posto?

That’s enough, we’re good like this or I’m good like this.
A posto così.

I’m fine, I don’t need anything.
 Sono a posto.

These little phrases are woven into everyday Italian life, especially in a bustling market.

La Panetteria — Domanda 2

Why did the venditrice talk to me about the scontrino and a multa salata?

The second question from the last episode about the panetteria section asks why la commessa suddenly began talking to me about the scontrino and the risk of getting a multa salata; a hefty fine.

It’s a wonderful moment because it shows exactly how conversations can shift instantly from business to everyday wisdom… with a bit of humor and, in this case, a lot of personality.

Let’s revisit that part of the conversation and see what’s happening.

La Panetteria - Estratto 2

Undici e settanta.

Carta di credito?

Ha rompe coglione.

Chi è rompe coglione?

La finanza. Perché quelli sono dei ladri.

Hai capito? La Guardia di Finanza. La Guardia di Finanza.

In Canada come la chiamano?

Quando chiedono lo scontrino, se non ce l'hai ti fanno la multa.

Non capisco. Darn.

Scontrino. Sì, scontrino.

Se ti fermano fuori, la Finanza, e non ce l'hai, ti fanno la multa.

Tipo la polizia però sì. È tipo… come si può dire?

La polizia, non so come si dice… che ti controlla lo scontrino.

Perché, se ho qualcosa in sacco senza scontrino sei in multa. In Italia sei in multa… salata.

Sia tu che noi negozianti.

OK, quindi è sempre meglio avere lo scontrino.

Meglio stare in Canada.

Risposta alla Domanda 2 - Panetteria

So… why did she raise the subject of the scontrino?

Because she was giving me a very Italian, very caring, warning.

Because I am a foreigner paying for things at the market, she wanted to be helpful. And so, she told me what every Italian knows: You must always carry your receipt, your scontrino. Always.

La Panetteria -  Domanda e Risposta 3

This brings us to Question 3, What does she say about the Guardia di Finanza?

She says:
 Se ti fermano fuori, la Finanza, non ce l’hai, ti fa la multa.
If the Financial Police stop you outside and you don’t have it, they’ll fine you.

Why?

Because the Meglio stare in Canada.Guardia di Finanza can stop you just outside the stall and ask for proof that you paid for what you’re carrying. To be honest, I’ve never seen this and it’s never happened to me. However, if you don’t have the receipt, you risk a fine. In her words, una multa… salata. A salty fine, meaning a pricey one.

And then she expresses frustration with the system:

• The Finance police. Thieves
   Finanza. Feduci… ladri.

She also says Senza scontrino sei in multa. In italia sei in multa... salate.
Without a receipt, you’re in a fine. In Italy you’re in a fine… salty or hefty.

Essere in multa, literally: to be in a fine.

It may not be strictly grammatically correct. But I think we get the message.

The Fixed Expression - Essere in

In Italian you can be in various types of situations. For instance:

·        essere in ritardo – to be in delay (to be late)

·        essere in debito – to be in debt

·        essere in difficoltà – to be in difficulty

·        essere in regola – to be in compliance / in order

·        essere in torto – to be in the wrong

So essere in multa follows the same pattern:

Essere in multa = to be in the situation of having a fine.

It’s not legal language, but it’s common speech, especially in places like markets, where people talk quickly and emotionally.

The Paired Structure - Sia… che

She also explains that both the customer and the vendor can get fined.
Sia tu che noi negozianti.
Both you and us shopkeepers

I’d like to point out this very common Italian structure: sia… che…

Here’s how it works:

SIA - one thing, CHE the other thing, means BOTH one thing and the other thing.

You can use it with people, things, actions, pretty much anything. It’s extremely useful, and you’ll hear it in everyday Italian.

Some simple, real-world examples:

·        Both you and I are hungry.
Sia tu che io abbiamo fame.

Antonio:
Ahem

Myra:
Antonio… hai fame?
Antonio… are you hungry?

Antonio:
Io? No, per niente.
Me? No, not at all.

Ma sto solo dicendo che… forse potrei aiutare con questi esempi.
But I’m just saying… maybe I could help with these examples.

Se vuoi, eh.
 If you want, of course.

Myra:
Ah… vuoi partecipare?
Oh… you want to participate?

Antonio:
Diciamo che non voglio lasciarti da sola.
Let’s just say I don’t want to leave you on your own.

E poi, se parliamo di fare una bella figura, anche con gli Studenti Saggi…
And besides, if we’re talking about making a bella figura, also with our Studenti Saggi…

Myra:

Right, yes, of course.

Torniamo a noi.
 Back to what we were doing.

·        Both the focaccia and the pizza are delicious here.
Sia la focaccia che la pizza sono buonissime qui.

·        I use Italian both at home and at work.
Sia a casa che al lavoro uso l’italiano.

·        Both you and we shopkeepers.
Sia tu che noi negozianti.

Antonio:

Incredibile… fai tutti questi esempi senza di me.
Sia tu che gli Studenti Saggi… siete diventati troppo bravi.
Io… inutile. 

Incredible… you're doing all these examples without me.
 Both you and the Wise Students… have become too good.

Myra:
Antonio… va bene, calmati.
You? Useless? Not even close.
Let me have my moment. You’ll get yours. Non preoccuparti.

So, sia, che. It’s a tiny phrase, but you’ll hear Italians use it all the time to pair two things together.

• And finally, Josi asks me a perfectly logical question:
   What do you call them in Canada?
   In Canada come la chiamano?

It’s conversational, direct, and deeply rooted in Italian daily life:
 the relationship between the market, taxes, the state, and everyday people.

Why this fun exchange in the Panetteria worth highlighting?

This little piece of advice, spontaneous, emotional, and funny, especially if you had seen the way she was rubbing her tummy when she said ‘loro mangiano’,  gives you a taste of:

·        Italian Culture

·        Real spoken rhythm

·        Authentic register

·        Everyday vocabulary

• A glimpse into Italian humor and frustration

But more importantly, it shows the kindness behind her words.
 She wasn’t scolding. she was helping me. She wanted to make sure I didn’t walk out with focaccia in my bag and end up with a multa salata because I didn’t know the rules.

The Verb Sgobbare

And then we have one of my favorite lines from the whole encounter:

Here Santi says: E noi, dobbiamo sgobbare a lavorare. Hai capito?
 We’re the ones who have to slog away working. You understand?

The verb sgobbare is wonderfully expressive.
 It means to work your tail off, to toil, to slog, to bust your back.
 It’s informal, emotional, and full of personality.

The tone is very much:

They eat, they take… and we’re the ones who have to do all the hard work.

These shopkeepers are gesturing, expressing frustration, she jokes, she vents. And all with warmth and rhythm.
 It’s a perfect example of the expressiveness of spoken Italian, and another reason I wanted to share these natural , rich interactions with you my studenti saggi.

LA Rosticceria

Let’s move on to the next stop in our market morning: la rosticceria.
 This stall is lively, crowded, and full of overlapping voices, fast, layered, and full of movement.

Here are the comprehension questions for this section, and what was happening linguistically and culturally in each moment.

La Rosticceria Domanda 1

Why did I say “io ultima” when I arrived at the counter, and how could I have said it more naturally?

At busy market counters in Italy, sometimes there’s a ticket system and you take a ticket to you’re your place in the line. But there’s often no ticket system or it’s not being used, for one reason or another, and no obvious order and there’s no clear line. Customers simply keep track of who arrived before whom. 

That’s why I said:

Io ultima.
 which was my way of saying:
 I’m the last one.

But as we hear in the recording, the moment was fast, noisy, and full of overlapping voices. Let’s listen to that part again.

Rosticceria Estratto 1

Here is the excerpt from the rosticceria:

Mi dica!... Buongiorno!

Chi era il primo?

Era il primo lui.

Ero l’ultima.

Io ultima.

Vuole una borsina

Umm, ok. Cascia? (Myra mispronounces the word coscia) Avete cascia?

Coscia.

Questa.

Sì, ok. Tre. Per favore.

In English?

Preferisco provare in italiano.

Risposta alla Domanda 2 -  Rosticceeria

So, why “Io ultima”? As I mentioned, in that moment, I was simply trying to signal that I’m the last in the line, even though I might be poking my face in the front of the glass to try to see what there is. As a learner of the Italian language, I sometimes just blurt out whatever I can think of in the situation. 

But the more natural form would include the verb essere, just like in English:

Sono l’ultima.

More idiomatic ways to say it:

Here are some other forms Italian speakers might use in this situation. Antonio you want to help me out with these?

Antonio:

Ma certo, Maira.
 Of course, Maira.

Anzi… queste cose sono pane per i miei denti.
In fact… this stuff is bread for my teeth.
(Meaning: This is exactly my thing.)

Dai, fammi brillare.
 Come on, let me shine.

Myra: 

Bread for your teeth? Hmm… se lo dici tu!
Well… if you say so!

Ma torniamo ai nostri esempi.
But let’s get back to our examples.

·        I’m after her / him.
 Sono dopo di lei / lui.

·        I’m at the end.
 Sono in fondo.

·        I’m the last in line.
 Sono l’ultima della fila.

·        I’m the last one.
 Sono l’ultima.

Here are a few more phrases you might hear:

·        Who’s the last?
 Chi è l’ultimo?

·        It’s me.
 Sono io.

·        I go after her.
 Vado dopo lei.

·        Is it my turn?
 Tocca a me?

A quick pronunciation moment: Coscia

Did you catch my mispronunciation of the word for Chicken thigh?

I said it twice, and from the look I got I realized I must have it wrong. And corrected it to Coscia.

Did you notice the next thing the venditrice asked me?
This happens almost every time I show up in a store or at a market stall.
I don’t even need to say anything sometimes. They immediately ask if I would prefer to speak English.

On this occasion, my response was:
 “Preferisco provare in italiano.”

I quite often find that when I show that I want to try using Italian, their faces light up.
 They’re genuinely happy to see someone making an effort in their native language.
 In that moment, they become ambassadors of the language, cheering me on while I struggle to find the right words, and truly supporting me as I try to make my request in Italian.

Antonio:

Vedi, Maira? È questo lo spirito dell’Italia.
 Se mostri il desiderio di parlare la nostra lingua, noi ti prendiamo per mano.
Non sei mai sola al mercato.

See, Maira? This is the spirit of Italy.
 If you show a desire to speak our language, we take you by the hand.
You’re never alone at the market.

Adesso, Maira, è importante capire che non tutte le risposte sono uguali.
Now, Maira, it’s important to understand that not all responses are the same.

Dipende da come vuoi rispondere: con gentilezza, con sicurezza… o con un po’ di stile italiano.
It depends on how you want to answer: with kindness, with confidence… or with a bit Italian style.

Myra:
Va bene, Antonio. Dicci di più.
All right Antonio. Tell us more.

And I’ll help where needed.

Polite + Friendly Responses

Antonio:
Per cominciare, ecco le risposte gentili e amichevoli.
To start, here are the polite and friendly responses.

Queste sono perfette quando vuoi essere educata, ma desideri comunque continuare in italiano.
These are perfect when you want to be polite, but still want to continue in Italian.

I’d like to practice a bit in Italian.
Vorrei esercitarmi un po’ in italiano.

If you speak slowly, I can follow.
Se parla lentamente, la seguo.

Can we continue in Italian?
Possiamo continuare in italiano?

Antonio:
E poi naturalmente quella che hai usato tu:
And then of course the one that you used:

I’d prefer to try in Italian.
Preferisco provare in italiano.

Confident Responses

Antonio:
Adesso passiamo alle risposte sicure, quelle che mostrano coraggio e determinazione.
Now let’s move to the confident responses, the ones that show courage and determination.

Perfette quando vuoi far capire che l’italiano … lo vuoi davvero usare.
Perfect when you want people to know that you really want to use Italian.

Don’t worry, I understand.
 Non si preoccupi, capisco.

I like speaking Italian — it helps me a lot.
Mi piace parlare italiano — mi aiuta molto.

It’s important to me to improve, so I’d like to continue in Italian.
Ci tengo a migliorare, quindi vorrei continuare in italiano.

Little by little, I can do it.
 Piano piano, ce la faccio.

Antonio:
Con queste risposte, Maira, tu farai una bellissima figura.
With these responses, Maira, you will make a beautiful impression.

Myra:
Perfetto… allora andiamo avanti con la prossima domanda, quella sulla rosticceria.
Perfect… so let’s move on to the next question, the one about the rosticceria.

Antonio:
Aspetta, aspetta, Maira.
Wait, wait, Maira.

Direi che per oggi… basta così.
I’d say that for today… that’s enough.

Abbiamo già dato tantissimo agli Studenti Saggi.
We’ve already given the Studenti Saggi so much.

Non vorrai mica rovinarli con troppo contenuto tutto insieme.
You wouldn’t want to overwhelm them with too much content all at once.

Myra:
Too much content?
Va bene, Antonio.
All right, Antonio.

Abbiamo visto tante situazioni reali del mercato e alcune risposte utili per continuare a parlare in italiano quando qualcuno passa all’inglese.
We covered lots of real market situations and some useful ways to keep speaking Italian when someone switches to English.

Antonio:
E direi che hai fatto una bellissima figura, Maira.
And I would say you made a beautiful impression, Maira.

Myra:
Va bene. In the next episode we’re going to take things a step further.

Parleremo di pesi e misure italiane,
 We’ll talk about Italian weights and measures,

e anche dei vari tagli di carne e di pollo che si trovano al mercato.
 and also the different cuts of meat and poultry you find at the market.

Antonio:
Ah, un argomento serio!
Ah, a serious topic!
Preparati, Maira… perché qui ci vuole precisione assoluta.
Get ready, Maira… because here we need absolute precision.

Myra:
Maybe, but sometimes, maybe not. 

A volte dico solo che “ne voglio per due per la cena di stasera”.
Sometimes I just say that I want enough for two for dinner tonight.

But I think Antonio is right. We’ve loaded you up with enough to think about for one episode.

If you’d like to practice any of these or if you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, there is nothing I’d like more than to hear from you, cari studenti saggi. As always, contact links are in the show notes.

Ci sentiamo!

Antonio:
Alla prossima!