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How to Say ‘Do you need a bag?’ in Italian

Le serve una busta?

leh SEHR-veh OO-nah BOO-stah

[leh SEHR-veh OO-nah BOO-stah]

🇮🇹 In Italy: Plastic bags at Italian supermarkets cost a few cents, so the cashier asks before adding one. Many locals bring their own bag.

Phrase Breakdown

Le serve

leh SEHR-veh

Do you need

'Le' is the formal 'to you', so 'le serve' literally means 'is it needed by you'. Say 'le SER-ve'.

Example

Le serve aiuto?

Do you need help?

Words in this phrase

[leh]

to you (formal)

Formal indirect pronoun meaning 'to you', used politely with strangers like customers.

Example

Le porto il caffè.

I'll bring you the coffee.

serve

[SEHR-veh]

is needed / do you need

From 'servire'; 'mi/le serve' means 'I/you need' (literally 'it serves me/you').

Example

Ti serve aiuto?

Do you need help?

una busta?

OO-nah BOO-stah

a bag?

'Busta' is a shopping bag. Say 'OO-na BOO-sta' with rising intonation at the end.

Example

Vorrei una busta, grazie.

I'd like a bag, thanks.

Words in this phrase

una

[OO-nah]

a / an

Feminine singular indefinite article, used before feminine nouns.

Example

È una bella occasione per rivedersi.

It’s a nice occasion to see each other again.

busta

[BOO-stah]

bag

A shopping bag, often plastic or paper, sold at the checkout.

Example

Metto la frutta nella busta.

I put the fruit in the bag.

Guides for Italian learners

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