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spesa di generi alimentari
/ˈspe.za di ˈdʒɛː.ni a.li.menˈtaː.ri/
grocery shopping
Faccio la spesa di generi alimentari ogni sabato mattina.
I do the grocery shopping every Saturday morning.
neutral
The act of purchasing food and household essentials from a store.
La spesa di generi alimentari è diventata più cara negli ultimi mesi.
Grocery shopping has become more expensive in recent months.
Ho finito la spesa di generi alimentari per la settimana.
I've finished the grocery shopping for the week.
Refers specifically to food items (pasta, bread, milk, etc.) and basic household products like soap or toilet paper. Does not include clothing or electronics.
Collocations
fare la spesa di generi alimentarito do grocery shoppinglista della spesa di generi alimentarigrocery listcosto della spesa di generi alimentaricost of groceries
Pro Tip
Regional Variations
In some Italian regions, 'spesa' might be replaced with 'acquisti' (purchases) or 'compere' (shopping), but 'spesa di generi alimentari' remains widely understood.
Gold Rule
When to Use
Use 'spesa di generi alimentari' when referring to the act of buying food items or the food items themselves collectively. Avoid using it for non-food items like clothing or electronics.
Word Origin
The phrase combines 'spesa' (from Latin 'expensa', meaning 'expenses' or 'purchases') with 'generi alimentari' (from 'generi' plural of 'genere', meaning 'kinds/types', and 'alimentari' from 'alimentum', meaning 'food'). The term has been used in Italian since at least the mid-20th century to distinguish food purchases from other types of shopping.
Usage Notes
In Italy, 'spesa' alone often implies grocery shopping, but adding 'di generi alimentari' emphasizes the food aspect. The phrase is commonly used in both spoken and written Italian, including in media discussing food prices or economic trends.
Word Breakdown
spesa
expenses or purchases
rootgeneri
kinds/types
rootalimentari
food-related
rootDizionario Italiano-Inglese