Better to repair it than throw it away.
ri-pa-RAR-lo — the stress falls on the verb infinitive's penultimate syllable; the 'lo' is a clitic pronoun attached to the verb.
Use this to express a preference for repair over disposal, a value that is deeply embedded in older Italian culture and growing again among younger generations. It fits perfectly in discussions about sustainability, consumerism, and circular economy.
The repair-over-replace philosophy was integral to Italian culture for most of the 20th century, born of post-war scarcity. It declined with mass consumerism but is now revived by the circular economy movement. Italy has a tradition of artigiani (craftspeople) who repair shoes, electronics, clothing, and furniture.
C'è un negozio di riparazione qui vicino?
Is there a repair shop near here?
Practical question; repair cafés and shops are growing across Italian cities.
Lo porto a riparare invece di comprarne uno nuovo.
I'll take it to be repaired rather than buying a new one.
Concrete decision; portare a riparare means to take for repair.
I Repair Café sono gratuiti: ti aiutano a riparare le cose.
Repair Cafés are free: they help you fix things.
Italian cities have adopted the Repair Café concept from the Netherlands.
Italy has a long tradition of calzolai (cobblers), elettricisti di quartiere (local electricians), and sarte (seamstresses) who repair rather than replace. In response to the EU's Right to Repair directive, Italy is expanding repair shop networks and offering tax incentives for repair services to keep items in use longer.