Looking up...
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.
In some Italian regions, 'spesa' might be replaced with 'acquisti' (purchases) or 'compere' (shopping), but 'spesa di generi alimentari' remains widely understood.
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.
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.
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.