Grocery shopping
Fare la spesa
- Write a grocery list for daily food and drinks.
- Ask a shop assistant about a product in the supermarket.
- Forms of courtesy: Scusa and Scusi
- The imperative: 'Andiamo'
This lesson focuses on grocery shopping vocabulary and polite expressions like "Scusa" and "Scusi." You will learn useful words such as "la frutta," "il pesce," and practice imperative forms like "Andiamo."
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (15) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify the words into two categories: food and people in the store.
Alimenti
Persone nel negozio
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
La cassa
The box
2
Il supermercato
The supermarket
3
La verdura
The vegetables
4
I biscotti
The biscuits
5
Il mercato
The market
Esercizio 5: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- Describe the items on the shopping list. (Describe the items on the shopping list.)
- Ask the shop assistant for the location of the products. (Ask the shop assistant for the location of the products.)
- Pay for your products at the checkout. (Pay for your products at the checkout.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Dove si trova/si trovano...? Where is / are ...? |
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Potresti aiutarmi un momento, per favore? Could you help me for a moment, please? |
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Potrei avere una ricevuta? Could I have a receipt? |
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Questo prodotto è in offerta? Is this product on sale? |
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Posso pagare in contanti / con la carta? Can I pay in cash / by card? |
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Hai una borsa? Do you have a bag? |
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Il prezzo è corretto? Is this price correct? |
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Posso aiutarti? Can I help you? |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Scusi, dove ______ il carrello della spesa?
(Excuse me, where do you ______ the shopping cart?)2. Scusa, ______ il pane in quel negozio?
(Hey, do you ______ the bread in that shop?)3. Andiamo al mercato, così ______ della frutta fresca.
(Let's go to the market, so we ______ some fresh fruit.)4. Scusi, quanto ______ questo succo d'arancia?
(Excuse me, how much does this orange juice ______?)Exercise 8: Grocery shopping at the supermarket
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Prendere - Take
Presente
- io prendo
- tu prendi
- lui/lei prende
- noi prendiamo
- voi prendete
- loro prendono
Andare - Go
Presente
- io vado
- tu vai
- lui/lei va
- noi andiamo
- voi andate
- loro vanno
Chiedere - Apologize
Presente
- io chiedo
- tu chiedi
- lui/lei chiede
- noi chiediamo
- voi chiedete
- loro chiedono
Pagare - Pay
Presente
- io pago
- tu paghi
- lui/lei paga
- noi paghiamo
- voi pagate
- loro pagano
Controllare - Check
Presente
- io controllo
- tu controlli
- lui/lei controlla
- noi controlliamo
- voi controllate
- loro controllano
Exercise 9: Forme di cortesia: Scusa e Scusi
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Forms of courtesy: Scusa and Scusi
Show translation Show answersscusi, Scusi, Scusa
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Prendere to take Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) prendo | I take |
| (tu) prendi | You take |
| (lui/lei) prende | he/she takes |
| (noi) prendiamo | we take |
| (voi) prendete | You take |
| (loro) prendono | they take |
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Lesson Overview: Grocery Shopping in Italian
This lesson introduces essential vocabulary, expressions, and grammatical structures used when shopping for groceries in Italian. You will learn how to create a shopping list, ask polite questions using formal and informal forms, and use the imperative mood to invite or suggest actions in everyday shopping scenarios.
Key Vocabulary
- Food Items: il pesce (fish), la carne (meat), la frutta (fruit), la verdura (vegetables), i biscotti (cookies), il succo (juice)
- People in the Store: il cassiere (cashier), il cliente (customer)
Polite Expressions and Forms
Understanding the difference between scusa (informal "excuse me") and scusi (formal "excuse me") is crucial for appropriate communication in different social settings.
The Imperative Mood: Making Suggestions and Requests
The lesson explains how to use the imperative form of verbs like Andiamo (Let's go) to invite someone, for example, to go to the market: "Andiamo al mercato a comprare la verdura fresca?"
Practical Language in Context
You will practice real-life sentences such as:
- "Scusa, dov'è il reparto frutta?" (Excuse me, where is the fruit section?)
- "Scusi, posso pagare con la carta di credito?" (Excuse me, can I pay with a credit card?)
- "Prendo un carrello, grazie." (I will take a shopping cart, thank you.)
Dialogues and Role-Plays
Simulated conversations help you practice asking for product locations, prices, and creating shopping lists, fostering communication skills useful at the supermarket.
Verb Conjugations Focused on Shopping
The lesson includes present tense conjugations of relevant verbs such as prendere (to take), andare (to go), chiedere (to ask), pagare (to pay), and controllare (to check), illustrated in practical sentences.
Short Story for Comprehension and Practice
A simple narrative describes a shopping trip, allowing you to see the vocabulary and verbs in context. For example: "Oggi prendo una lista della spesa perché devo comprare qualcosa per cena." (Today I take a shopping list because I need to buy something for dinner.)
Instruction Language and Italian: Key Differences
In English, forms of politeness are less frequently marked by different verb forms or pronouns, but in Italian, the difference between tu (informal you) and Lei (formal you) is important, especially in public or service encounters. For example, scusa is used with friends or family, while scusi is appropriate when addressing strangers or in formal contexts. Additionally, the Italian imperative often includes pronouns for inclusive suggestions like "andiamo" (let's go), which has no direct equivalent imperative in English but expresses an invitation to act together.
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