Phrases › Bargaining at the Market › Me lo fa a venti?

Me lo fa a venti?

Will you do it for twenty (euros)?

Pronunciation

'Me lo fa' — very quick in natural speech: 'me-lo-FA'. Stress only on 'fa'. The first three words almost merge.

When to use it

Making a concrete counter-offer. The most effective bargaining technique — name your price clearly. Works best when your offer is 20-30% below the asking price.

What it means

'Me lo fa a venti' = will you do it for me at twenty. 'Me' (for me) + 'lo' (it) + 'fa' (do/make). 'A venti' = at twenty (euros). This structure is the standard Italian price negotiation formula.

Variations

Me lo dà a quindici?

Will you give it to me for fifteen?

'Dare' instead of 'fare' — 'me lo dà' = will you give it to me at...

Facciamo trenta?

Shall we say thirty?

'Facciamo' = let's make/shall we — collaborative phrasing

Posso offrirle ventidue?

Can I offer you twenty-two?

Most polite — 'offrire' frames it as an offer, not a demand

Mini Dialogue

Venditore: Costa quaranta euro. Cliente: Quaranta? Me lo fa a venti? Venditore: Venti è impossibile. Trenta — ultimo prezzo. Cliente: Va bene, venticinque e non se ne parla più. Venditore: Affare fatto.

Vendor: It costs forty euros. Customer: Forty? Will you do it for twenty? Vendor: Twenty is impossible. Thirty — final price. Customer: Fine, twenty-five and let's not discuss it further. Vendor: Done deal.

Cultural Note

'Affare fatto' (done deal) seals a bargain at an Italian market. The handshake that follows is genuine — Italian market vendors are proud of their word. Once agreed, the price doesn't change. Never agree and then try to lower further.

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Mi fa lo sconto?

È troppo caro.

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