acquirente
/ak.kwiˈrɛn.te/
The Italian word for shopper is acquirente.
The term acquirente refers to a person who shops, though it is most frequently used in commercial or legal contexts to mean 'buyer' or 'purchaser'.
Meaning: a person who shops (noun)
Which one should you use?
While you can use acquirente to mean shopper, if you are in a retail setting and referring to someone shopping in a store, the word cliente (customer) is often more natural.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun acquirente is used for both masculine and feminine shoppers. To refer to a group of male shoppers or a mixed-gender group, use the plural form acquirenti.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has four syllables, with the stress on the third syllable: /ak.kwiˈrɛn.te/.
Did you know?
- While acquirente is the technical term for a shopper, Italians often use the phrase fare la spesa for grocery shopping and fare shopping for leisure shopping. The latter is a direct loan from English and is used specifically for fashion and luxury items.
- If you are looking for a 'window shopper' in Italy, you would likely use the word passante (passerby) or describe someone 'looking through the glass', as there is no direct single-word equivalent for this specific type of shopper.
- While acquirente describes the person buying, the act of grocery shopping is called fare la spesa, where spesa literally means 'expense' or 'expenditure'.
Examples in context
- Sono un cliente abituale di questa boutique.I am a regular customer of this boutique.
- Domani sarò un acquirente instancabile!Tomorrow I'll be a tireless shopper!
- L'acquirente ha scelto il prodotto migliore.The shopper chose the best product.
- Ogni acquirente riceve uno sconto speciale.Every shopper receives a special discount.
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are discussing a sale at a local market.
- MartinaC'è un acquirente per questo tavolo?Is there a shopper for this table?
- FrancescoSì, Francesco ha già fatto un'offerta.Yes, Francesco has already made an offer.
- MartinaAllora lui è l'acquirente ideale.Then he is the ideal shopper.
- FrancescoPenso che sia proprio così.I think that is exactly right.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry acquirente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
