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PhrasesAt the AirbnbCi sono supermercati o negozi alimentari vicini?
A2informal

Ci sono supermercati o negozi alimentari vicini?

Are there supermarkets or grocery shops nearby?

Pronunciation

su-per-mer-CA-ti — five syllables, stress on the fourth.

When to use it

Ask your host for grocery shopping tips, especially in smaller Italian towns where not everything is obvious to a visitor.

What it means

'Negozi alimentari' = food shops/grocery stores. 'Vicini' (nearby, plural) agrees with 'supermercati'. Italian food shopping culture is rich: supermarkets for basics, 'mercati' (markets) for fresh produce, 'panetterie' (bakeries), 'macellerie' (butchers), 'pescherie' (fishmongers).

Variations

C'è un mercato rionale qui vicino?

Is there a local market nearby?

Italian neighbourhood markets offer fresh produce at excellent prices

A che ora aprono i negozi?

What time do the shops open?

Italian shops often close for lunch (1–4pm) and on Sunday afternoons

C'è una panetteria vicino?

Is there a bakery nearby?

Fresh bread from a local panetteria is one of Italy's great morning rituals

Mini Dialogue

— Ci sono supermercati vicini? — Sì! C'è un Conad a due isolati, aperto fino alle venti. E un mercato rionale il martedì e il venerdì mattina. — Ottimo. E per il pane fresco? — La panetteria Di Marco è dietro l'angolo, aprono alle sette.

— Are there supermarkets nearby? — Yes! There is a Conad two blocks away, open until eight. And a local market on Tuesday and Friday mornings. — Excellent. And for fresh bread? — Di Marco bakery is around the corner, they open at seven.

Cultural Note

Italian supermarket chains include Conad, Coop, Esselunga, Carrefour, and Lidl. Many Italian cities also have 'alimentari' — small family-run grocery shops that sell everything from cheese to wine. These are often cheaper and more interesting than supermarkets.