Phrases › At the Shoe Shop › Ha creme per le scarpe?

Ha creme per le scarpe?

Do you have shoe polish / leather cream?

Pronunciation

'Creme' — 'KREH-me'. Two syllables. The 'e' in '-me' is not silent — say 'KREH-meh' lightly.

When to use it

Buying shoe care products — very important in Italian shoe culture. Caring for leather shoes with proper cream prolongs their life dramatically.

What it means

'Creme per le scarpe' = shoe creams/polishes. Also: 'lucido da scarpe' (shoe polish), 'spray impermeabilizzante' (waterproofing spray), 'shoehorn' = 'calzatoio', 'shoe trees' = 'forma per scarpe'.

Variations

Ha il lucido nero?

Do you have black shoe polish?

Specifying colour of polish needed

Ha lo spray impermeabilizzante?

Do you have waterproofing spray?

Essential for protecting leather shoes

Ha le forme per scarpe?

Do you have shoe trees?

'Forme per scarpe' = shoe trees — maintain shoe shape

Mini Dialogue

Cliente: Ha creme per le scarpe in pelle marrone? Commessa: Sì — crema incolore, marrone chiaro e marrone scuro. Quale tonalità preferisce? Cliente: Marrone medio. Commessa: Questo è il marrone tabacco — neutro, va bene per tutte le sfumature di marrone.

Customer: Do you have cream for brown leather shoes? Assistant: Yes — colourless cream, light brown and dark brown. Which shade do you prefer? Customer: Medium brown. Assistant: This is tobacco brown — neutral, it works for all shades of brown.

Cultural Note

Shoe care is a serious matter in Italian culture. Italian men are expected to maintain their shoes in pristine condition. 'Lucidare le scarpe' (polishing shoes) before important meetings is a sign of professionalism and self-respect.

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Ha sandali da uomo?

Le scarpe hanno la garanzia?

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