Phrases › Renting a Car › C'è traffico. Conviene prendere la deviazione?

C'è traffico. Conviene prendere la deviazione?

There is traffic. Is it worth taking the detour?

Pronunciation

de-via-ZIO-ne — stress on third syllable. con-VIE-ne — stress on second syllable.

When to use it

Ask a local, your passenger, or check the GPS when you encounter a traffic jam and are considering taking an alternate route.

What it means

C'è traffico (there is traffic) — standard Italian for a traffic jam or congestion. Conviene prendere (is it worth taking) — convenire (impersonal: to be worth it). La deviazione (the detour) — from deviare (to deviate/divert).

Variations

Il navigatore propone un percorso alternativo.

The sat-nav is suggesting an alternative route.

Percorso alternativo (alternative route) — GPS rerouting terminology

Quanto dura questo ingorgo?

How long does this traffic jam last?

Ingorgo (traffic jam) — more specific than traffico

Usciamo all'uscita successiva?

Shall we exit at the next exit?

Uscita (exit) — on the autostrada, referring to the motorway junction

Mini Dialogue

— C'è molto traffico. Conviene prendere la deviazione? — Il navigatore dice che siamo in coda per venti minuti. — Proviamo la strada alternativa? — Sì, ma attenzione ai centri abitati — ci sono i limiti a trenta.

— There is a lot of traffic. Is it worth taking the detour? — The sat-nav says we are in a queue for twenty minutes. — Shall we try the alternative road? — Yes, but watch out for built-up areas — there are thirty km/h limits.

Cultural Note

Italian summer autostrada traffic near beach resorts (particularly on the A1 and A14) can extend for many hours on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons in July and August — alternate routing is strongly advised.

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