Italian 103 · Lesson 29
Shopping and Clothes
Ask for a size, try something on and say whether it fits.
Begin ↓01 / 08
Say what you are looking for
Cerco una giacca.
CHER-koh OO-nah JAK-kah
I’m looking for a jacket.
Cerco un paio di pantaloni.
I’m looking for a pair of trousers.
Cerco means I’m looking for. Add a concrete item rather than a literal translation of I am searching.
02 / 08
Ask the price
Quanto costa questa giacca?
How much is this jacket?
Quanto costano queste scarpe?
How much are these shoes?
Quanto costa is singular. Use quanto costano for plural items such as trousers or shoes.
03 / 08
Ask for your size
Avete una taglia M?
Do you have a size M?
Avete il numero quaranta?
Do you have size 40? (shoes)
Taglia is clothing size; numero is often used for shoes. Learn the whole question as a useful shop phrase.
04 / 08
Try it on
Posso provarlo?
Can I try it on? (masculine item)
Posso provarla?
Can I try it on? (feminine item)
The ending of provarlo points back to the item: lo for masculine, la for feminine. The pronouns get a fuller lesson in Italian 104.
05 / 08
Change the size
Una taglia più grande, per favore.
A bigger size, please.
Una taglia più piccola.
A smaller size.
Grande stays the same for singular masculine and feminine. Piccolo changes to piccola with a feminine item.
06 / 08
How it fits
Mi sta bene.
It fits / suits me well.
Mi sta stretto.
It’s tight on me. (masculine item)
Mi sta bene can mean it fits or suits you well. With several items, use mi stanno bene.
07 / 08
Make a decision
Lo prendo, grazie.
I’ll take it, thanks.
Ci penso, grazie.
I’ll think about it, thanks.
Prendo is I’ll take in a shop. You can also decline politely without inventing a reason.
Remember this
Takeaway
Cerco una giacca. Posso provarla?
I’m looking for a jacket. Can I try it on?
Identify the item, ask for a size and try it on. Match lo or la to the thing you mean.