Your first supermarket run in Italy comes with small traps: a coin for the trolley, gloves for the fruit, a counter where people order in etti, and a cashier who asks four questions in three seconds. Here is how it all works, and what to say.
The supermarket, step by step
Trolleys are unlocked with a one-euro coin (or a plastic token). Fruit and vegetables are usually weighed by you: take a glove, put the produce in a bag, weigh it on the bilancia, press the number shown on the shelf and stick the sticker on the bag. No sticker means the cashier sends you back.
Shelf labels show the price per unit and the price per kilo; the offerta tag marks the deal of the week. If you cannot find something:
Scusi, dove trovo il lievito? Avete il latte senza lattosio?
At the checkout
The cashier (cassiera or cassiere) will fire off the same questions to everyone:
| They say | It means | You answer |
|---|---|---|
| Ha la tessera? | Do you have the loyalty card? | Sì, eccola / No |
| Vuole una busta? | Do you want a bag? | Sì, una, grazie (bags cost a few cents) |
| Carta o contanti? | Card or cash? | Carta / Contanti |
| Vuole lo scontrino? | Do you want the receipt? | Sì, grazie |
Bag your own groceries, fast: the next customer is already unloading.
The deli counter
The banco gastronomia is the best part of the shop, and the most intimidating. Take a ticket (prendere il numero), wait for your number on the display, and order by weight in etti (100 g) or by slices.
Due etti di prosciutto crudo, tagliato sottile. Tre fette di mortadella. Un pezzo di parmigiano, circa mezzo chilo.
Sottile is thin, spesso is thick. Va bene così? means "is this amount fine?": say Sì, va bene or Un po' di più.