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Post Office Dialogue in Italian

This is a sample conversation to give you an idea as to what phrases you’ll need to learn in order to have a conversation in an Italian Post Office. I have attempted to make this conversation as natural as possible:

Impiegato Postale /Postal Clerk: Buongiorno, posso aiutarla? = Good morning, may I help you?

Cliente/Customer: Si, vorrei dei francobolli, per favore = Yes, I would like some stamps, please.

I: Di quanti ne ha bisogno? = How many do you need?

C: 20 = venti

I: Sono E.30,45 = That will be E.30,45

Second Customer: Scusi c’ero prima io = I’m sorry, it was my turn

C: No, lei si sbaglia, c’ero prima io = No, you are wrong, it was my turn

I: Avete preso il numero e vi siete messi in fila? = Did you get a number and get in line?

C: Si = yes, we did

I: Allora controlliamo e vediamo a chi tocca (di chi è il turno!) = Then let’s check and see whose turn it is.

Lei ha il numero 230 e lei 231, quindi ha precedenza il numero 230. Adesso è tutto sistemato. Prego mettetevi in fila e rispettate l’ordine dei numeri = Your number is 230 and you 231, that means 230 is first. Now, everything is settled. Please, get in line and respect the numerical order.

Cliente: Vorrei spedire questo pacchetto in Giappone con l’aereo, quant’è? = I would like to send this package to Japan by airmail, how much is it?

Impiegato Postale/Postal Clerk: Sono E…….ha bisogno di più francobolli = It’s E…you need extra stamps

C: Non importa = Never mind

I: Che cosa c’è nella scatola? = What’s in the box?

C: Libri, CDs e una cornice d’argento = Books, CDs and a silver frame.

I: Deve compilare questo modulo, specificare quello che c’è dentro, quanto pesa, il suo indirizzo, codice postale e la sua firma. Le dispiace firmare questo modulo e darmi la sua carta d’identità, per favore? Qui il suo pacco.= You should fill out this form; specify the contents of the package, the weight, your address, zip code and your signature. Then please sign this form and could you provide a photo ID, please? Here is the package.

C: Nessun problema, lo faccio adesso = No problem, I’ll do it right now.

In quanto tempo arriva in Giappone?= How long does it take to arrive?

I: Ci vogliono 30 giorni se spedito via terra e circa 2 settimane via aereo = It takes up to 30 days to deliver if sent by ground and about 2 weeks by air.

C: Preferirei che arrivasse là il prima possibile = I’d prefer to get it there as soon as possible.

I: Vorrebbe assicurare il pacco? = Would you like to insure the package?

C: Di sicuro = For sure.

I: Lei avrebbe i soldi indientro in caso il pacco andasse perduto = You’d receive your money back if the package got lost.

C: When I weighed it it was 10 kilograms. = Quando l’ho pesato erano kg 10

I: E’ giusto! = That’s correct!

C: Quanto devo pagare? = How much do I have to pay?

I: Mi deve E. 35 = You owe me E. 35 / Il totale è…..= The total is…..

C: Alla fine, vorrei spedire questa raccomandata a Parigi= Finally I would like to send this registered letter to Paris.

I: Per favore compili questo modulo con il suo indirizzo in lettere maiuscole = Please, fill in the complete address in capital letters.

C: Buongiorno, vorrei spedire un telegramma, cosa devo fare? = I would like to send a telegram, what do I have to do?

I: Qualcos’altro? = Anything else?

C: No, è tutto = No, that’s it.

The busiest time for the post office in Italy is around the New Year. Toward the end of the year, the post office sells official New Year’s cards and ICI payments (house tax). If you take them to the post office by a certain date in December, they will hold your cards until January 1st, and then deliver them immediately. That way your New Year’s greeting will arrive at exactly the right time. While email is definitely popular these days, many people still prefer regular mail especially around the holidays, and sending cards from the postal office is still quite appealing to the older generations.

Vocabulary:

  • lettera = letter
  • cartolina = postcard
  • pacco = package
  • posta prioritaria = priority mail
  • francobollo = stamp
  • busta = envelope
  • indirizzo di posta = mailing address
  • codice postale = zip code
  • cassetta postale = mail box
  • furgone postale = mail van

By Elisa Bressan

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