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PhrasesAt the Post OfficeVorrei spedire questa lettera in Inghilterra.
A1formal

Vorrei spedire questa lettera in Inghilterra.

I would like to send this letter to England.

Pronunciation

In-ghil-TER-ra — four syllables; the 'gh' before 'i' is a hard 'g' sound; stress on the third syllable.

When to use it

Use this as your opening statement when approaching the counter. Stating your destination upfront helps the clerk immediately identify the correct postage.

What it means

'Vorrei' is the polite conditional of volere. 'Spedire' is the standard verb for 'to send' by post. 'In Inghilterra' uses 'in' before a country (feminine). The Italian post office offers posta ordinaria (standard), raccomandata (registered), and prioritaria (priority) options.

Variations

Vorrei spedire questa lettera negli Stati Uniti.

I'd like to send this letter to the USA.

'Negli' = in + gli — used before masculine plural nouns starting with a vowel or special consonant

Vorrei mandare questa busta in Australia.

I'd like to send this envelope to Australia.

'Mandare' is a synonym for 'spedire' — slightly less formal

Quanto costa spedire una lettera in Francia?

How much does it cost to send a letter to France?

Asking about cost before committing to the service

Mini Dialogue

— Vorrei spedire questa lettera in Inghilterra. — Raccomandata o ordinaria? — Ordinaria va bene. — Salirà sul prossimo volo, ci vogliono circa cinque giorni lavorativi. — Perfetto.

— I'd like to send this letter to England. — Registered or standard? — Standard is fine. — It'll go on the next flight, it takes about five working days. — Perfect.

Cultural Note

Poste Italiane is the Italian national postal service, founded in 1862. It is one of the most visited institutions in Italy, offering not only mail services but banking (BancoPosta), insurance, and government services. Long queues are a famous feature — Italians often joke that queuing at the post office is a national sport.