Sorry, Paolo, I don't understand your transliteration. Are you saying that Italians use the French pronunciation of "toilette"? If so, we'd transliterate that as "twa-let". However, if it truly is, "tu-a-leet", that's very interesting, because the last syllable doesn't make sense in either French or Italian!
Thanks for the help. As a follow-up, what is typically written on the door of a public restroom in Rome, like in the U.S.A. you will find "Men", "Women", "Restroom", etc.
Posts: 68 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: 20 January 2008
I would like to thank the people who explained that Italians actually pronounce toilette the French way. I guess I have been embarrassing myself by trying to give it the Italian phonetic pronunciation! Anyway, since I am now in Italy, I'm glad I saw this!
Originally posted by Bill M.: Thanks for the help. As a follow-up, what is typically written on the door of a public restroom in Rome, like in the U.S.A. you will find "Men", "Women", "Restroom", etc.
I recall mostly seeing donna and uomo (IIRC not pluralised), plus toilette. However I'm sure I've seen others.
Drink coffee, do stupid things faster
Posts: 306 | Location: UK | Registered: 20 September 2008
Well, I am chagrined. My daughter and I recently (two-three months ago) started taking Italian (in anticipation of our trip this summer, although we may very well keep it up -- what a beautiful language!). And, I thought asking to use a bathroom went something like this:
Posso usare il bagno?
Am I making a huge faux pas? Do Italians use "toilette"? Is it rude to say "posso usare"? Yikes!
Please know that we are very much beginners in this new passion ...
Posts: 27 | Location: Oakland, CA | Registered: 04 October 2007
Actually, the original question was about asking where the bathroom is, rather than if others would excuse you to use it! Slightly different. Nevertheless, Paolo's and Giulia's advice earlier in this thread is sound for that question, and particularly the use of the word "toilette," which, evidently in Italy, retains the French pronunciation.
As far as this slightly different question, any takers on translating "may I use the bathroom?"
Either way, translating directly from the American English "may I use" might not be the most idiomatic way of saying it in Italian. In English, we "use" the bathroom. I'm not sure if that holds for Italian, if you know what I mean.
By the way, now that this topic has surfaced again, I wonder if the Italian (based on French) usage of toilette is generally singular. When recently in France, I was reminded that in French the term is always plural -- "les toilettes" even if there is only one.
So in Italian, do you use "la" or "le" with the noun?
I have been wondering about how or whether to say, "may I use" because that is certainly the polite way to ask in English.
I think the question here really is: what is the idiomatic way of expressing "using" the bathroom. And how would one communicate that if you, say, walked into a bar and wanted to use the facilities. Actually, in my experience, come to think of it, in that situation, I have never felt that it was necessary to ask.
Posso usare il bagno is definitely what I would say if I'm at somebody's place and need to go to the toilet. You can also say "mi dice dov'è il bagno" or something similar and of course everybody will understand the reason why you want to know, but personally I'd use the first expression. (my mom, who is not reading the thread and is not suspicious to be translating from English, confirms this! )
For "May I use the restroom", why not "potrei usare la toilette?" "Could I" (Potrei) is softer than "Can I" (Posso). Regarding the pronumciation of toilette, in my experience, Italians add a vowel at the end - usually an "a" but pronounced like a cross between the a (singular) and e (plural). I don't think Italian would want to end a word with a consonant (t) - per la musica.
Salli
Salli
Posts: 2 | Location: Roswell, GA USA | Registered: 23 July 2003
Regardless what one asks for, it is good form not to forget starting the question with a nice "Buon giorno" or "Buona sera" and end with the always required "per favore".
Regardless how desperately in a hurry one is at the moment...
And I think the biggest problem is to figure out the flushing system! There rarely are two of the same kind during a typical 4 week trip. But, at least, when you are finally looking for it, the emergency is over and you have unlimited time to figure it out.
Originally posted by Django: What about "I vespasiano per favore?
I once read that the Emperor Vespasian was the first to introduce public toilets to Rome, so they named the toilets after him.
Would my phrasing elicit ridicule?
Not really ridicule, but you'll be directed to the stand up small stalls that are still -not much really- visible in some large town. You know, those that make your feet visible...
A Bagno, Gabinetto or Toilette referes to a room dedicated in a building.
)
There rarely are two of the same kind during a typical 4 week trip. But, at least, when you are finally looking for it, the emergency is over and you have unlimited time to figure it out.
