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PhrasesOn the MetroPosso portare la bicicletta sul metro?
A2

Posso portare la bicicletta sul metro?

Can I bring my bicycle on the metro?

Pronunciation

'Bicicletta' — bi-ci-CLET-ta. Stress the third syllable; double 't' is held briefly.

When to use it

Ask at the ticket window or information desk before trying to take a bike through the turnstile. Rules vary by city and time of day.

What it means

'Posso' is the first-person singular of 'potere' (can/may). 'Portare' means to bring or carry. The preposition 'sul' (su + il) means on the. This modal + infinitive construction is the standard way to ask for permission in Italian.

Variations

Le bici sono ammesse?

Are bikes allowed?

More formal phrasing using past participle as adjective.

È vietato portare la bici?

Is it forbidden to bring the bike?

Negative angle — useful if you suspect the answer is no.

Posso portare il monopattino?

Can I bring the scooter?

E-scooters and folding bikes have different rules.

Mini Dialogue

— Buongiorno, posso portare la bicicletta sul metro? — Solo le bici pieghevoli sono ammesse. — La mia non si piega, purtroppo. — Mi dispiace, in quel caso non è consentito.

— Good morning, can I bring my bicycle on the metro? — Only folding bikes are allowed. — Mine doesn't fold, unfortunately. — I'm sorry, in that case it's not permitted.

Cultural Note

In Milan, full-size bikes are allowed on the metro on weekdays before 7am and after 8pm, and all day on weekends and holidays. In Rome the rules are stricter. Folding bikes (bici pieghevoli) are generally always allowed.