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PhrasesTravel ProblemsIl Bancomat non funziona.
A2

Il Bancomat non funziona.

The ATM is not working.

Pronunciation

'Bancomat' — BAN-co-mat. Three syllables; stress on the first. Hard 'c' before 'o'.

When to use it

Say this to a nearby shopkeeper or bank employee when you need to find a working cash machine. ATM failures are common in tourist areas where machines are overloaded.

What it means

'Bancomat' is both the Italian word for ATM/cash machine and for debit card — the brand name became a generic term. This is called a 'genericazione' (genericisation) — like 'post-it' or 'scotch tape'. 'Non funziona' (it is not working) is the standard malfunction phrase.

Variations

C'è un Bancomat che funziona vicino?

Is there a working ATM nearby?

Ask for an alternative cash machine location.

La mia carta è stata bloccata.

My card has been blocked.

Different problem — bank blocked the card, not the machine.

Dove posso cambiare valuta?

Where can I exchange currency?

Find an exchange bureau as an alternative to an ATM.

Mini Dialogue

— Il Bancomat non funziona. Ne conosce un altro? — C'è quello della banca qui a sinistra, funziona sempre. — Accetta carte estere? — Sì, Visa e Mastercard sicuramente.

— The ATM is not working. Do you know another one? — There's the bank's one just on the left, that always works. — Does it accept foreign cards? — Yes, Visa and Mastercard definitely.

Cultural Note

Italian ATMs (Bancomat) charge foreign card fees that vary by bank. Some machines add a 3–5% fee on top of your bank's charges. Using a bank's own ATM (sportello bancario) rather than standalone machines in tourist areas generally results in lower fees.