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PhrasesAt the PortHo perso la coincidenza.
B1

Ho perso la coincidenza.

I missed my connection.

Pronunciation

'Coincidenza' — co-in-chi-DEN-tsa. The 'ci' before 'd' sounds like 'ch'; final 'za' is 'tsa'.

When to use it

Say this at the ticket desk when your incoming transport was delayed and you missed your ferry. Italian ports can sometimes accommodate you on the next departure.

What it means

'Ho perso' (passato prossimo of 'perdere') means I missed or lost. 'Coincidenza' literally means coincidence but in transport it means connection. This is a beautiful example of Italian semantic shift — the connection was a coincidence of timing that you missed.

Variations

Il mio treno era in ritardo, posso prendere il prossimo traghetto?

My train was delayed, can I take the next ferry?

Explains the reason for missing the connection.

Posso cambiare il biglietto?

Can I change my ticket?

Asks about rebooking options.

C'è una penale per il cambio?

Is there a fee for changing?

Checks whether modification costs money.

Mini Dialogue

— Ho perso la coincidenza, il treno da Roma aveva un'ora di ritardo. — Mi dispiace. Il prossimo traghetto è alle sedici. — Posso usare lo stesso biglietto? — Sì, con un supplemento di dieci euro.

— I missed my connection, the train from Rome had a one-hour delay. — I'm sorry. The next ferry is at four pm. — Can I use the same ticket? — Yes, with a ten euro surcharge.

Cultural Note

Italy's national rail company (Trenitalia) has a specific 'coincidenza perduta' policy: if a train delay causes you to miss a booked connection (train or ferry), you may be entitled to rebooking without penalty. Keep your original ticket as proof.