Italy Magazine: How to Say "At the Supermarket"

Photo by Lucas Finzi

From Italy Magazine...

Even if you're just on vacation in Italy, you may need to go grocery shopping at the supermarket - andare a fare la spesa. So here's a helpful vocabulary guide of terms you may see once inside the supermarket - supermercato. 

Food products can be found along the corsie (aisles), on the scaffali (shelves). You will put them inside the carrello (shopping cart), or, if you're not buying a lot, the cestino (shopping basket). 

Food products are divided according to type:

Prodotti per la casa - household items

Prodotti da forno (merendine, biscotti, pane, crackers, ecc.) - baked goods (snacks, cookies, bread, crackers, etc.)

Pasta e riso – Pasta and rice

Prodotti in scatola (fagioli, passata di pomodoro, tonno, ecc.) - canned goods (beans, tomato sauce, tuna, etc.)

Condimenti (olio di oliva, aceto, origano, peperoncino, ecc.) – dressings and spices (olive oil, vinegar, oregano, red pepper, etc.)

Latte e latticini (yogurt, formaggi) – Milk and dairy products

Prodotti surgelati – frozen foods

Frutta e verdura – fruit and vegetables

Carne – meat

Pesce - seafood

Salumi e formaggi freschi – deli counter

Bevande (vino, birra, bibite gassate) – beverages (wine, beer, sodas)

Acqua – water

Once you’re done with la spesa, you proceed to la cassa (checkout counter), where la cassiera or il cassiere (cashier) will scan your items and ask you, vuole una sportina/le sportine (do you want a bag/bags)? Remember that in Italy bags are not free to encourage reusable shopping bags.

Then you pay, either in contanti, cash, or con la carta (by credit card), the cashier will give you your scontrino (receipt) and you say goodbye.

Grazie, arrivederci.