Can I pay by card?
'Pagare' — 'pa-GA-re'. Stress on the second syllable. The 'g' before 'a' is hard.
Before reaching the till in smaller shops. Italy has improved card acceptance, but small boutiques sometimes prefer cash or have minimum spend rules.
'Posso' + infinitive for asking permission. 'Con la carta' — literally 'with the card'. Specifying 'di credito' (credit) or 'di debito' (debit) is optional but sometimes helpful.
Accettate la carta di credito?
Do you accept credit cards?
More complete — specifically credit card
Posso pagare in contanti?
Can I pay in cash?
Cash payment — always safe option
C'è un minimo per la carta?
Is there a minimum for card payment?
Check for minimum spend limits
Italy is increasingly cashless, but smaller independent shops may still prefer 'contanti' (cash). The 'Bancomat' is the Italian debit card/ATM card — the word is often used for any card payment terminal.