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How to Say ‘Sorry, the card machine isn't working.’ in Italian

Mi dispiace, il POS non funziona.

mee dee-SPYAH-cheh eel pohs non foon-tsyoh-nah

[mee dee-SPYAH-cheh eel pohs non foon-tsyoh-nah]

🇮🇹 In Italy: A classic line from taxi drivers and small shops who'd rather be paid in cash. It's often true, but sometimes it's a convenient excuse, so it's fair to push back politely.

Phrase Breakdown

Mi dispiace,

mee dee-SPYAH-cheh

I'm sorry,

Say it 'mee di-SPYAH-cheh'. This is the standard way to apologize.

Example

Mi dispiace, non lo so.

I'm sorry, I don't know.

Words in this phrase

[mee]

to me

Indirect object pronoun meaning to me; used to express personal reaction.

Example

Nella frase Mi fa piacere, Mi indica la persona che prova la sensazione.

In the phrase 'Mi fa piacere,' 'Mi' indicates the person feeling the emotion.

dispiace

[dee-SPYAH-cheh]

I'm sorry

The expression of regret or apology.

Example

Mi dispiace per il ritardo.

I apologize for being late.

il POS non funziona.

eel pohs non foon-tsyoh-nah

the card machine isn't working.

Say it as one flowing phrase, with the stress on 'TSYOH'.

Example

Oggi il POS non funziona.

The card machine isn't working today.

Words in this phrase

[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

Point of sale device for paying by card.

Example

Posso pagare con il POS?

Can I pay with the card machine?

non

[non]

not

Used to create the expression 'do not go unnoticed'.

Example

Con quel fascino "non" puoi passare inosservato.

With that charm, you "can't" go unnoticed.

funziona

[foon-tsyoh-nah]

It works

Indicates that something operates properly.

Example

Il sistema funziona bene.

The system works well.

Guides for Italian learners

Duolingo vs Busuu: Which Is Better for Actually Improving?Duolingo vs Busuu compared: a free gamified habit versus structured levels with corrections from native speakers. Which to choose, and when to use both.

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