FastItalian LearningSign in
PhrasesAt the PharmacyHo bisogno di aghi per la penna d'insulina.
A2

Ho bisogno di aghi per la penna d'insulina.

I need needles for my insulin pen.

Pronunciation

A-gi — 'aghi' is the plural of 'ago' (needle). Hard 'g' before 'h'. PEN-na.

When to use it

A regular request for diabetic patients who use insulin pens. Pen needles are available without prescription.

What it means

'Aghi per la penna d'insulina' = needles for the insulin pen. 'Ago' (singular) → 'aghi' (plural). Pen needles come in different lengths (4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm) and gauges. The pharmacist will ask which size you use. Needles should be changed with every injection — a safe disposal container ('contenitore per aghi') is also available.

Variations

Uso gli aghi da quattro millimetri.

I use the four millimetre needles.

Specify the needle length — most common are 4mm or 6mm

Ho bisogno anche del contenitore per gli aghi usati.

I also need a container for used needles.

'Contenitore per aghi' or 'sharps bin' — for safe needle disposal

Avete strisce reattive per il glucometro?

Do you have glucose test strips?

'Strisce reattive' = test strips for blood glucose monitoring

Mini Dialogue

— Ho bisogno di aghi per la penna d'insulina. Uso i BD Micro-Fine Plus. — Che lunghezza? — Quattro millimetri. — Li abbiamo. Quante confezioni? — Due scatole, da cento aghi ciascuna. — Perfetto. Ha anche il contenitore per lo smaltimento?

— I need needles for my insulin pen. I use the BD Micro-Fine Plus. — What length? — Four millimetres. — We have them. How many packs? — Two boxes, one hundred needles each. — Perfect. Do you also have a disposal container?

Cultural Note

Used insulin needles ('aghi usati') in Italy must be disposed of in special 'contenitori per rifiuti taglienti' (sharps containers), not in regular household waste. Italian pharmacies are legally required to accept used needles for safe disposal ('smaltimento sicuro') under D.Lgs. 152/2006. Diabetic patients enrolled with the SSN receive needles, lancets, and test strips free of charge with a 'piano terapeutico'.