Italian · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 7 of 12
Clothes and shopping
Comprare vestiti
Buy and exchange clothes in Italian: ask for a size, try things on, and use questo, quello and the pronouns lo, la, li and le.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Ask for a size and try something on
- Exchange something you've bought
- Say this and that: questo and quello
- Say it and them: lo, la, li, le
Listen
Carla Fontana goes back to a clothes shop in Modena with a shirt she bought on Saturday. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Shop assistant
Buongiorno, signora. La posso aiutare?
Good morning. Can I help you?
Carla
Buongiorno. Ho comprato questa camicia sabato, ma è troppo piccola. Posso cambiarla?
Good morning. I bought this shirt on Saturday, but it's too small. Can I exchange it?
Shop assistant
Certo. Ha lo scontrino?
Of course. Do you have the receipt?
Carla
Sì, eccolo.
Yes, here it is.
Shop assistant
Che taglia è?
What size is it?
Carla
È una quarantadue. Avete la quarantaquattro?
It's a forty-two. Do you have a forty-four?
Shop assistant
Sì, eccola. La vuole provare?
Yes, here it is. Would you like to try it on?
Carla
Sì, grazie. Dov'è il camerino?
Yes, thank you. Where's the changing room?
Shop assistant
È qui a destra.
It's here on the right.
Carla
Questa mi va bene. E quei pantaloni neri in vetrina quanto costano?
This one fits. And how much are those black trousers in the window?
Shop assistant
Quelli costano sessanta euro, ma oggi c'è lo sconto del venti per cento.
Those are sixty euros, but today there's a twenty per cent discount.
Carla
Allora li provo.
Then I'll try them on.
Understand
This and that: questo and quello
(this) works like a normal adjective: . (that) changes like the word for “the”: if the noun takes , say ; if it takes , say , and so on.
On its own, without a noun, “that one” is simply : (Those cost sixty euros).
| The | That / those | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (that dress) | ||
| (that backpack) | ||
| (that watch) | ||
| (that jacket) | ||
| (those trousers) | ||
| (those boots) | ||
| (those shoes) |
It and them: lo, la, li, le
An object pronoun replaces a noun you've already mentioned, so you don't repeat it. It usually goes before the verb: (The trousers? I'll try them on.)
Choose the pronoun by the gender and number of the noun. The same words also mean “him” () and “her” (). Other object pronouns are (me), (you), (us) and (you, plural). The polite “you” is : (Can I help you?)
| Pronoun | Replaces | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a masculine noun | ||
| a feminine noun | ||
| a masculine plural noun | ||
| a feminine plural noun |
Eccolo and posso cambiarla
With , the pronoun joins the end: (here it is, here they are).
With , or + an infinitive, you have two choices. The pronoun can go before the first verb (, ), or it can join the infinitive, which drops its final -e: or Both mean “Can I exchange it?”
- Lo scontrino? Eccolo.The receipt? Here it is.
- Posso provarli?Can I try them on?
- Le scarpe sono belle. Le voglio comprare.The shoes are nice. I want to buy them.
More in the grammar: Object pronouns: lo, la, li, le, gli…
New words
- La posso aiutare?Can I help you? · polite; = to help
- comprareto buy · = to buy clothes
- la camiciashirt · feminine; plural:
- troppotoo; too much · = too small
- cambiareto change; to exchange
- lo scontrinoreceipt · masculine
- eccolo / eccolahere it is · plural: /
- la tagliasize (clothes) · feminine; = it fits me
- volereto want · ; = Would you like to try it on?
- provareto try, to try on
- il camerinochanging room · masculine
- i pantalonitrousers · masculine plural
- la vetrinashop window · feminine; = in the window
- lo scontodiscount · masculine; = twenty per cent
Practise
1.Complete: “___ pantaloni neri sono belli.” (Those)
2.Replace with a pronoun.
The shirt is too small. I'll exchange it.
3.You hand over your receipt (). Say “here it is” in one word.
Yes, here it is.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Can I try on those trousers?
5.What does mean?
6.Match the Italian with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Posso provare questa giacca?
Can I try on this jacket?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.