If I pay in cash, do you give a discount?
SCON-to — two syllables; stress on the first. The 'sc' before 'o' is 'sk' — a hard consonant cluster.
Use this as a final negotiating move after you've already got the price as low as you think it will go. Cash payment often unlocks a small additional discount at markets.
'Se pago in contanti' is a conditional clause. 'Fa uno sconto' uses the formal 'fa'. This is often the last card to play after verbal negotiation has reached its limit. The seller who accepts knows you're serious; the additional discount acknowledges the practical advantage of cash.
Accetta la carta di credito?
Do you accept credit card?
Checking if card is an option — some market sellers are cash only
Ho esattamente la cifra che vuole — in contanti.
I have exactly the amount you want — in cash.
Showing you have the money ready signals commitment and may prompt a deal
Togliamo i centesimi e facciamo una cifra tonda?
Shall we drop the cents and make it a round number?
Rounding down to a round number — a very Italian way to close
Italy's relationship with cash (contanti) is deeply cultural. Despite government efforts to promote cashless payments — including cash-use limits and electronic payment incentives — cash remains king at informal markets. The preference for cash among market sellers is not always about tax avoidance; many simply find it simpler and more reliable for small transactions.