Lesson 2: Le Commissioni

What types of errands do Italians commonly run? (pay bills, buy stamps, pick up prescriptions, groceries)

How do you ask where a store or office is and how to complete a task?

What expressions or questions are used when interacting with clerks, pharmacists, or bank tellers?

How do Italian store or office hours differ from those in the U.S.?

What cultural customs are important when running errands in Italy?

How can knowing errand vocabulary help you navigate daily life in Italy?

Le commissioni
chiedere un prestito
fare delle commissioni
firmare
inviare
pagare con assegno
pagare con carta di credito/bancomat
pagare in contanti
prelevare dei soldi
ricevere
riempire un modulo
versare dei soldi
la posta
la busta
la cartolina
il francobollo
l’indirrizo
la banca
il conto bancario
il conto corrente
il conto di risparmio
la moneta
il comune
il fiorista
il fotografo
la lavanderia
la profumeria
la questura
l’ufficcio informazioni
l’ufficio pastale
imbucare la lettera
il pacco
la cassetta delle letture
la gioelleria
la liberia
la cartoleria
l’edicola
la rivista
il centro estetico
il postino/la postina
la posta
la banca
lo sportello automatico
la banconota

Communication (1.1–1.3):
- Interpersonal: Ask and answer questions about errands, services, and purchases.
- Interpretive: Understand signs, forms, receipts, and announcements.
- Presentational: Describe steps for completing errands, explain where to go, or summarize tasks.

Cultures (2.1): Explore Italian customs related to errands, services, and daily routines.

Comparisons (4.1, 4.2): Compare Italian and U.S. errands, store types, and public service procedures.

Communities (5.1): Apply skills to real-life contexts such as visiting Italian stores, offices, or services while traveling.

DOK 1: Recall vocabulary for errands, stores, and services.

DOK 2: Ask and answer questions about errands; read forms, signs, or notices; describe locations.

DOK 3: Compare Italian and U.S. errand practices; justify why certain tasks are done in specific ways.

DOK 4: Plan and present a day of errands in Italy, including multiple stops, transportation, and cultural considerations.

Vocabulary and expressions prepare students for traveling, completing tasks, and navigating Italian services.

Reading forms, signs, and receipts mirrors authentic real-life experiences.

Comparing Italian and U.S. errands fosters cross-cultural understanding.

Role-playing errands develops practical communication skills for shopping, banking, and interacting with service personnel.

Students may assume errands work the same as in the U.S. (hours, payment methods, bureaucracy).

Students may not be familiar with the concept of a tabaccheria.

Students may misunderstand formal vs. informal ways to address clerks.

Students may think all tasks can be completed quickly; some errands may require waiting or multiple trips.

Novice Learners: Use visuals of stores, signs, and labeled vocabulary; sentence starters (Dove si trova…?, Devo…), matching activities.

Intermediate Learners: Role-play running errands, write step-by-step instructions, compare Italian vs. U.S. errands.

Advanced Learners: Research Italian public services, create a detailed day-of-errands plan, or present cultural differences in errands.

Supports: Partner practice, chunked dialogues, authentic materials (forms, receipts, signs).

Extensions: Analyze regional differences in store hours, design a multi-stop itinerary for errands, or simulate completing official paperwork in Italian

vistaprint online text resource

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