How to Say ‘Keep the change.’ in Italian
Tenga il resto.
TEN-gah eel REHS-toh
[TEN-gah eel REHS-toh]
💬 Usage Tip: tenga is the polite "you" form, suited to staff and strangers. With a friend it would be tieni il resto.
🇮🇹 In Italy: Tipping isn't expected the way it is in the US. Many bills already include a coperto "cover charge", so rounding up or leaving a little change is plenty.
Phrase Breakdown
Tenga
[TEN-gah]
keep
Formal imperative of 'tenere' (to keep/hold), used politely with Lei.
Tenga la ricevuta, per favore.
Keep the receipt, please.
il
[eel]
the
Masculine singular definite article used before a masculine singular noun.
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.
resto
[REHS-toh]
change; rest
The money given back after paying; also 'the remainder'.
Ecco il resto, signore.
Here is your change, sir.
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