Italian All-in-One For Dummies (81 page)

When you pass through customs, you may have to declare any goods that you purchased that are over a certain dollar/euro amount.

Ho questo/queste cose da dichiarare.
(oh
kwehs
-toh/
kweh-
steh
koh
-seh dah dee-kyah-
rah
-reh.) (
I have to declare this/these things.
)

Renting a Car

Italy is a beautiful country, and if you visit, you may want to consider taking driving tours of the cities and the countryside. If you don't have a car, renting one to visit various places is a good idea, but don't forget that Italian traffic is not very relaxed. Italians don't stay in their own lanes on highways, and finding a place to park can tax your patience — especially in town centers, some of which don't even allow cars. Even medium-sized cars often can't get through narrow streets and make turns where cars are allowed. I don't want to scare you, though; just enjoy the adventure!

To drive a car or motorcycle in Italy, you must be at least 18 years old. Furthermore, you need a valid
patente
(pah-
tehn
-teh) (
driver's license
). A foreign driver's license is good for a maximum of 12 months in Italy. For periods exceeding the year, you need to get an Italian one. Finding a car to rent is easy at all airports.

Whether you rent a car by phone, online, or directly from a rental service, the process is the same: Just tell the rental company what kind of car you want and under what conditions you want to rent it. Research your options before getting to Italy, if possible. This way, you can have a car waiting for you upon your arrival. The following dialogue represents a typical conversation on this topic.

Talkin' the Talk

Mr. Brown is staying in Italy for two weeks and wants to rent a car to visit different cities. He goes to the rental service booth at the airport and talks to
l'impiegato
(leem-pyeh-
gah
-toh) (
the employee
).

Mr. Brown:
Vorrei noleggiare una macchina.

vohr-
rey
noh-lehj-
jah
-reh
ooh
-nah
mahk
-kee-nah.

I would like to rent a car.

Agent:
Che tipo?

keh
tee
-poh?

What kind?

Mr. Brown:
Di media cilindrata col cambio automatico.

dee
meh
-dyah chee-leen-
drah
-tah kohl
kahm
-byoh ou-toh-
mah
-tee-koh.

A mid-size with an automatic transmission.

Agent:
Per quanto tempo?

pehr
kwahn
-toh
tehm
-poh?

For how long?

Mr. Brown:
Una settimana.

ooh
-nah seht-tee-
mah
-nah.

One week.

Quant'è per la settimana?

kwahn
-
teh
pehr lah seht-tee-
mah
-nah?

What does it cost for a week?

Agent:
C'è una tariffa speciale: 18 Euro al giorno.

cheh
ooh
-nah tah-
reef
-fah speh-
chah
-leh: deech-
oht
-toh
eh-
oohr-oh ahl
johr
-noh.

There is a special rate: 18 Euros per day.

Mr. Brown:
L'assicurazione è inclusa?

lahs-see-kooh-rah-
tsyoh
-neh eh een-
klooh
-zah?

Is insurance included?

Agent:
Sì, con la polizza kasco.

see, kohn lah
poh
-leets-tsah
kahs
-koh.

Yes, a comprehensive policy.

 

Other words and expressions that you may need when renting a car or getting fuel at a gas station include the following:

l'aria condizionata
(
lah
-ryah kohn-dee-tsyoh-
nah
-tah) (
air conditioning
)

la benzina super
(lah behn-
dzee
-nah
sooh
-pehr) (
premium fuel
)

la benzina verde
(lah behn-
dzee
-nah
vehr
-deh) (
unleaded fuel
)

il cabriolet
(eel
kah
-bryoh-
leh
) (
convertible
)

Controlli l'olio.
(kohn-
trohl
-lee
loh
-lyoh.) (
Check the oil.
)

Faccia il pieno.
(
fahch
-chah eel
pyeh
-noh.) (
Fill it up.
)

fare benzina
(
fah
-reh behn-
dzee
-nah) (
to put in gas
)

A car with an automatic transmission costs significantly more because these are rare in Italy, where everyone drives a car with a manual shift.