🙏🚕💳📠❓

How to Say ‘Excuse me, but aren't taxis required to have a card machine?’ in Italian

Mi scusi, ma i taxi non sono tenuti ad avere il POS?

mee SKOO-zee ma ee TAK-see nohn SO-noh teh-NOO-tee ahd ah-ve-reh eel pohs

[mee SKOO-zee ma ee TAK-see nohn SO-noh teh-NOO-tee ahd ah-ve-reh eel pohs]

💬 Usage Tip: essere tenuti a means "to be required to". Here a becomes ad before the vowel in avere.

🇮🇹 In Italy: Italian law does require taxis to take cards, and drivers can be fined for refusing. Saying this politely, with mi scusi, usually settles it.

Phrase Breakdown

Mi scusi,

mee SKOO-zee

Excuse me,

This is the formal 'excuse me', said politely: mee SKOO-zee.

Example

Mi scusi, dov'è la stazione?

Excuse me, where is the station?

Words in this phrase

[mee]

Reflexive/object pronoun; with 'scusi' forms 'excuse me'.

Example

Mi scusi, signore.

Excuse me, sir.

scusi

[SKOO-zee]

Excuse me

A polite way to get someone's attention, commonly used to apologize or make a request.

Example

Scusi, dov'è la stazione?

Excuse me, where is the station?

ma i taxi

ma ee TAK-see

but taxis

'Taxi' stays the same in the plural. Say 'ma i' smoothly as 'mai'.

Example

Ma i taxi costano tanto.

But taxis cost a lot.

Words in this phrase

[ma]

But

Used to indicate contrast or exception in a statement.

Example

Vorrei prendere il treno, ma è troppo tardi.

I would like to take the train, but it's too late.

[ee]

the

Plural masculine definite article used before plural masculine nouns.

Example

Nella frase I responsabili, I introduce il gruppo dei manager.

In the phrase 'I responsabili,' 'I' introduces the group of managers.

taxi

[TAK-see]

taxi

A noun meaning taxi, used the same way as in English.

Example

Ho bisogno di un taxi subito.

I need a taxi right away.

non sono tenuti

nohn SO-noh teh-NOO-tee

aren't they required

'Essere tenuti a' means 'to be obliged to'. Say teh-NOO-tee.

Example

Non sono tenuti a rispondere.

They aren't required to answer.

Words in this phrase

non

[nohn]

not

Used to make a statement negative.

Example

Non voglio pagare tanto.

I don't want to pay so much.

sono

[SO-noh]

They are

Used as a plural form of 'to be', indicating existence or identity of multiple entities.

Example

Sono 10 euro, grazie.

They are 10 euros, thank you.

tenuti

[teh-NOO-tee]

required / obliged

Past participle of 'tenere'; 'essere tenuti a' means to be required to.

Example

Siamo tenuti a pagare.

We are required to pay.

ad avere il POS?

ahd ah-ve-reh eel pohs

to have a card machine?

'A' becomes 'ad' before a vowel. Raise your voice at the end for the question.

Example

È obbligatorio ad avere il POS?

Is it compulsory to have a card machine?

Words in this phrase

[ahd]

Form of 'a' used before a vowel.

Example

Vado ad aprire.

I'll go to open it.

avere

[ah-ve-reh]

to have

To possess or own something.

Example

Avere un sogno è importante.

To have a dream is important.

[eel]

the

Masculine singular definite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Nella frase Il tempo personale, Il introduce il concetto di tempo privato.

In the phrase 'Il tempo personale,' 'Il' introduces the concept of private time.

POS

[pohs]

card terminal

Card payment machine.

Example

Il POS non funziona.

The card machine doesn't work.

Guides for Italian learners

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