Local services and shops
Servizi locali e negozi
- Know the names of local services and shops.
- Discuss what you find in the shopping center.
Explore common Italian vocabulary and dialogues for everyday situations at local services and shops, including centro commerciale (shopping mall), negozio di alimentari (grocery store), and posta locale (local post office). Practice useful expressions like spedire un pacco (to send a package) and comprare frutta fresca (to buy fresh fruit).
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Se avessi tempo, _____ il centro commerciale per conoscere i negozi locali.
(If I had time, _____ the shopping mall to get to know the local shops.)2. Andrei al supermercato se _____ bisogno di comprare qualcosa per casa.
(I would go to the supermarket if _____ needed to buy something for the house.)3. Parlerei con il commesso del negozio se _____ qualche domanda.
(I would talk to the shop assistant if _____ any questions.)4. Se il negozio _____ aperto, comprerei il regalo per la mia famiglia.
(If the shop _____ open, I would buy the gift for my family.)Exercise 3: A Visit to the Shopping Mall
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Andare - Andare
Presente
- io vado
- tu vai
- lui/lei va
- noi andiamo
- voi andate
- loro vanno
Chiamare - Chiamare
Presente
- io chiamo
- tu chiami
- lui/lei chiama
- noi chiamiamo
- voi chiamate
- loro chiamano
Preferire - Preferire
Presente
- io preferisco
- tu preferisci
- lui/lei preferisce
- noi preferiamo
- voi preferite
- loro preferiscono
Arrivare - Arrivare
Presente
- io arrivo
- tu arrivi
- lui/lei arriva
- noi arriviamo
- voi arrivate
- loro arrivano
Decidere - Decidere
Presente
- io decido
- tu decidi
- lui/lei decide
- noi decidiamo
- voi decidete
- loro decidono
Pagare - Pagare
Presente
- io pago
- tu paghi
- lui/lei paga
- noi paghiamo
- voi pagate
- loro pagano
Tornare - Tornare
Presente
- io torno
- tu torni
- lui/lei torna
- noi torniamo
- voi tornate
- loro tornano
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice Italian today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Lesson Overview: Local Services and Shops
This lesson focuses on practical language skills centered around common local services such as shopping centers, grocery stores, and post offices. It is designed for A2-level Italian learners who want to improve their ability to talk about everyday activities, ask for information, and describe places and products.
Key Topics Covered
- Shopping centers (centro commerciale): vocabulary for various types of shops like boutiques, shoe stores, perfumeries, bookstores, bars, electronics stores.
- Grocery stores (negozio di alimentari): useful phrases for locating and asking about fresh bread, milk, fruits, vegetables, rice, and drinks.
- Post offices (posta locale): practical expressions to inquire about shipping packages, postal boxes, postal services, and opening hours.
Dialogue Practice
The dialogues simulate real-life conversations:
- Discussing what you can find in a shopping mall and describing shops.
- Asking for products and their locations inside a grocery store.
- Requesting information about postal services and how to send packages.
Grammar Focus: Conditional Verb Forms
The lesson emphasizes the use of the Italian conditional mood to express hypothetical situations, such as visiting the mall if there was time or going to the supermarket if something needed to be bought. For example:
- "Se avessi tempo, visiterei il centro commerciale…" (If I had time, I would visit the shopping center…)
- "Andrei al supermercato se avessi bisogno…" (I would go to the supermarket if I needed…)
Short Story and Verb Conjugations
A short story titled "Una visita al centro commerciale" helps learners see verbs like andare, chiamare, preferire, arrivare, decidere, pagare, and tornare in context. These verbs appear in their present tense forms with full conjugation tables provided to support memorization and recognition.
Important Lexical Highlights
- Nei negozi: boutique (boutique), scarpe (shoes), profumeria (perfume shop), libreria (bookstore), bar (coffee bar), elettronica (electronics store).
- In alimentari: pane fresco (fresh bread), latte (milk), frutta fresca (fresh fruit), verdure (vegetables), riso integrale (brown rice), succhi di frutta (fruit juices).
- Alla posta: spedire un pacco (to send a package), cassetta postale (mailbox), raccomandata (registered mail), orari di apertura (opening hours).
Language Notes: Italian vs. English
In Italian, nouns have genders and articles that precede them, e.g., il negozio (the store - masculine), la frutta (the fruit - feminine). Unlike English, Italian verb tenses are more varied, requiring attention to present, conditional, and past forms to express time and mood accurately.
Some useful expressions include:
- "Ci sono" means "there are," used like in "Ci sono supermercati" (There are supermarkets).
- "Dove si trova... ?" means "Where is... located?" helpful for asking directions inside a store.
- Conditional form usage: the use of "se" (if) + imperfect subjunctive + conditional tense expresses hypothetical actions, e.g., "Se il negozio fosse aperto..." (If the shop were open...)
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
