How to Ask Where to Buy Postcards in Italian
Learn to ask 'Dove posso comprare delle cartoline?' in Italian, understand the answer, and choose between tabaccherie, edicole and souvenir shops.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
If you already know how to buy stamps in Italian, the next practical step is finding postcards. In Italy, postcards are not sold everywhere: the most reliable places are tabaccherie (shops with a T sign), edicole (newsstands) and souvenir kiosks near tourist sites. This lesson teaches you one core question, 'Dove posso comprare delle cartoline?', plus short follow-up questions so you can understand the answer and actually get to the right shop.
By the end, you can…
- ask where to buy postcards using a polite, standard question.
- understand a short answer naming a tabaccheria, edicola or negozio di souvenir.
- ask a follow-up question about price or location.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Dove posso comprare delle cartoline?
Where can I buy some postcards?
DOH-veh POS-soh kom-PRAH-reh DEL-leh kar-toh-LEE-neh
The most useful general question. 'Posso' (I can) makes it polite and natural in shops and at hotel desks.
Scusi, sa dove vendono cartoline?
Excuse me, do you know where they sell postcards?
SKOO-zee, sah DOH-veh VEN-doh-noh kar-toh-LEE-neh
Use 'Scusi' with strangers. 'Vendono' means 'they sell', useful when you do not know the exact shop.
C'è un'edicola qui vicino?
Is there a newsstand near here?
cheh oon eh-DEE-koh-lah kwee vee-CHEE-noh
Edicole sell newspapers, magazines and often postcards. 'Qui vicino' means 'near here'.
Quanto costa una cartolina?
How much does one postcard cost?
KWAHN-toh KOS-tah OO-nah kar-toh-LEE-nah
Use this to check the price before choosing. Prices vary a lot between cities and tourist areas.
Vorrei comprare cinque cartoline, per favore.
I would like to buy five postcards, please.
vor-RAY kom-PRAH-reh CHEEN-kweh kar-toh-LEE-neh, per fah-VOH-reh
'Vorrei' is a polite way to say 'I would like'. Add 'per favore' to sound courteous.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 'Dove posso comprare...?' (Where can I buy...?). You can replace 'delle cartoline' with other items: 'Dove posso comprare dei francobolli?' (Where can I buy some stamps?), 'Dove posso comprare una mappa?' (Where can I buy a map?). Notice 'delle' and 'dei': these are partitive articles meaning 'some'. For a single item, use 'una' or 'un': 'Dove posso comprare una cartolina?'
When to use it
Use 'Dove posso comprare delle cartoline?' in shops, at hotel receptions or with passers-by. If you are asking a stranger in the street, start with 'Scusi' (Excuse me). If you are already inside a shop and want to know whether they sell postcards, ask 'Avete delle cartoline?' (Do you have postcards?). Pronunciation of 'cartoline' is essentially the same everywhere in Italy; regional accents vary, but the word itself does not change.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Scusi, dove posso comprare delle cartoline?
Excuse me, where can I buy some postcards?SKOO-zee, DOH-veh POS-soh kom-PRAH-reh DEL-leh kar-toh-LEE-nehC'è una tabaccheria qui vicino, oppure un'edicola in piazza.
There is a tobacco shop near here, or a newsstand in the square.cheh OO-nah tah-bak-keh-REE-ah kwee vee-CHEE-noh, op-POO-reh oon eh-DEE-koh-lah een PYAHT-tsahGrazie. Quanto costa una cartolina?
Thank you. How much does one postcard cost?GRAH-tsee-eh. KWAHN-toh KOS-tah OO-nah kar-toh-LEE-nahDi solito cinquanta centesimi, ma quelle grandi costano un euro.
Usually fifty cents, but the large ones cost one euro.dee SOH-lee-toh cheen-KWAHN-tah chen-TEH-zee-mee, mah KWEL-leh GRAHN-dee KOS-tah-noh oon EH-oo-rohA little context goes a long way
In Italy, 'tabaccheria' (marked with a black-and-white T) and 'edicola' are the standard places for postcards and stamps; souvenir kiosks also sell them but often at higher prices. 'Cartolina' is the normal word for a picture postcard. A 'cartolina postale' can mean an official postal card, but in everyday speech 'cartolina' is enough.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Dove compro cartoline?' as a direct translation of 'Where do I buy postcards?'
Try this instead: This sounds abrupt and slightly odd in a polite request. Use 'Dove posso comprare delle cartoline?' or 'Sa dove vendono cartoline?' The modal 'posso' softens the question and is the standard polite form.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Where can I buy some postcards?' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Dove posso comprare delle cartoline?
This uses 'Dove' (where), 'posso' (I can) and 'delle cartoline' (some postcards). 'Dove posso comprare una cartolina?' is also correct if you want just one.
2You are in a shop and want to know if they sell postcards. What do you ask?
Show a sample answer
Avete delle cartoline?
'Avete' means 'you (plural) have' and is the usual way to ask a shop assistant. 'Vendete cartoline?' (Do you sell postcards?) is also acceptable.
3Someone answers 'C'è un'edicola in piazza.' What have they told you?
Show a sample answer
There is a newsstand in the square.
'C'è' means 'there is', 'un'edicola' is a newsstand, and 'in piazza' means 'in the square'. If they say 'tabaccheria' instead, that is a tobacco shop, which also sells postcards.
Learn one core question, 'Dove posso comprare delle cartoline?', and listen for 'tabaccheria', 'edicola' or 'negozio di souvenir' in the answer. That is enough to find postcards almost anywhere in Italy.
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