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PhrasesAt the BeachMi ha punto qualcosa — hai un cerotto?
A2informal

Mi ha punto qualcosa — hai un cerotto?

Something stung me — do you have a plaster?

Pronunciation

mee ah POON-toh KWAL-koh-sah — ah-EE oon cheh-ROT-toh.

When to use it

After a jellyfish sting, sea urchin spine, or any minor injury at the beach. First aid supplies are basic but important. This phrase also works for any minor cut or injury.

What it means

Mi ha punto means something stung me (literally 'it has stung me'). Qualcosa means something. Hai un cerotto means do you have a plaster. Un cerotto is a sticking plaster or bandage. A basic but practical beach phrase.

Variations

Devo togliermi le spine del riccio di mare.

I need to remove the sea urchin spines.

Sea urchins (ricci di mare) are common at rocky Italian beaches.

La medusa mi ha scottato il braccio.

The jellyfish burned my arm.

About a jellyfish burn/sting.

C'è un kit di pronto soccorso?

Is there a first aid kit?

Asking for a more complete first aid box.

Mini Dialogue

— Mi ha punto qualcosa — hai un cerotto? — Sì, nell'astuccio del pronto soccorso. Cosa è successo? — Ho calpestato qualcosa in acqua. — Forse uno scorfano. Guarda — hai la puntura sul tallone. — Fa malissimo. Come si cura? — Piede in acqua molto calda — distrugge la tossina.

— Something stung me — do you have a plaster? — Yes, in the first aid kit. What happened? — I stepped on something in the water. — Maybe a scorpionfish. Look — you have the sting on your heel. — It hurts a lot. How do you treat it? — Foot in very hot water — it destroys the toxin.

Cultural Note

The scorpionfish (scorfano) and the greater weever (tracina) are the two most common sources of painful stings at Italian rocky beaches. Stepping on them accidentally is a hazard of wading in rocky shallows. The treatment (immersion in as-hot-as-bearable water) is well-known to Italian bathers but surprises foreign visitors. Wearing beach shoes (scarpette da mare) prevents most stings.