spesa
/ˈspe.za/feminine
The English phrase 'groceries' is translated into Italian as spesa.
spesa refers to commodities sold by a grocer or in a grocery store. It is most commonly used in the idiomatic phrase fare la spesa, which is the standard way to say 'to do the grocery shopping'.
Meaning: commodities sold by a grocer or in a grocery (noun)
Which one should you use?
While spesa can mean 'expense' or 'spending' in other contexts, when it is used with the verb 'fare', it specifically refers to grocery shopping.
How does it change in a sentence?
spesa is a feminine noun. English speakers often mistakenly try to use the plural form spese to mean 'groceries', but in the context of food shopping, the singular spesa is the standard term used with the verb 'fare'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈspe.za/. The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the plural spese to mean 'groceries'. Instead, use the singular spesa when you are talking about food shopping, especially when using the verb 'fare'.
Did you know?
- In Italy, fare la spesa is often a social ritual involving visits to several specialized shops, such as the panificio for bread and the macelleria for meat.
- While English speakers might use 'shopping' for anything, Italians use fare la spesa specifically for food and household necessities, reserving fare shopping for clothes or luxury goods.
- The word spesa shares a common ancestor with the English word 'expense', stemming from the Latin 'expendere', meaning 'to weigh out' or 'to pay'.
Examples in context
- Credevo stessi andando a fare la spesa.I thought you were going to buy groceries.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use spesa with the verb 'andando a fare'.Tatoeba #2209654 by antilope, translation #1961740 by CK
- Puoi andare in città a prendermi un po' di spesa?Can you go into town and pick up some groceries for me?This sentence shows how to use spesa when asking someone to pick up items in town.Tatoeba #11821139 by Nuel, translation #11821138 by Nuel
- Ogni mese si preoccupa di come pagare le bollette e fare di nuovo la spesa.Each month, she worries about how to pay bills and buy groceries again.This sentence demonstrates using spesa in the context of monthly chores and bills.Tatoeba #13475907 by Nuel, translation #13475906 by Nuel
- Posso richiedere un elenco degli alimenti disponibili?May I request a list of available groceries?
- Devo comprare dei prodotti alimentari dal supermercato.I need to buy some groceries from the supermarket.
- Abbiamo abbastanza roba da mangiare nel frigo?Do we have enough groceries in the fridge?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Martina are in the kitchen after returning from the supermarket.
- AlessandroHai portato tutta la spesa?Did you bring all the groceries?
- MartinaSì, la spesa è nel sacchetto.Yes, the groceries are in the bag.
- AlessandroOttimo, aiutami a sistemare la spesa.Great, help me put the groceries away.
- MartinaCerto, mettiamo tutto in frigo.Sure, let's put everything in the fridge.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “groceries” translations and entries spesa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries spesa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
