How do you use the air conditioning?
con-di-zio-na-TO-re — six syllables, stress on the fifth.
Ask in summer months. Italian split-unit air conditioners have multiple modes — cooling, heating, fan-only, dehumidifier — which can be confusing.
'Come si usa' (how is it used/how do you use it) uses the impersonal 'si'. 'Condizionatore' is the technical term for the split-unit air conditioner, while 'aria condizionata' refers to the concept. The remote control ('telecomando') is key to operating it.
Il telecomando del condizionatore funziona?
Does the air conditioning remote work?
Check the remote batteries first if it seems unresponsive
Quale funzione uso per il raffreddamento?
Which function do I use for cooling?
Look for the snowflake symbol on the remote for cooling mode
Quanto posso abbassare la temperatura?
How low can I set the temperature?
Some hosts set minimum temperatures to control electricity bills
Italian electricity is expensive — hosts often ask guests not to run air conditioning when the apartment is empty. This is a reasonable request and Italians themselves are generally frugal with energy. Some hosts include a note about energy-saving in their house rules.