🎧 Practice the dialogue with the Minus 1 player:
At the post office – Minus 1
At the post office – Minus 1
Simple guide for expats and students: post office, couriers, forms, useful phrases and vocabulary.
1) Where to go
- Post office (Poste Italiane): desks for national and international shipments.
- Tobacconist (tabacchi): sell stamps and sometimes accept small parcels.
- Private couriers (DHL, UPS, SDA, Bartolini): fast, trackable options.
2) What to bring
- Valid ID document.
- Receiver’s full address (street, number, postal code, city, country).
- Sometimes your codice fiscale (Italian tax code) is requested.
3) Sending a letter
- Buy a stamp (post office or tobacconist).
- Write the address: receiver bottom right; sender top left.
- Put it in the red mailbox or hand it at the counter.
Services – Italiano → English
Posta ordinaria (economica, non tracciata) → Ordinary mail (cheap, not tracked) •
Posta prioritaria (più veloce) → Priority mail (faster) •
Raccomandata (tracciata, con ricevuta) → Registered mail (tracked, with receipt).
Posta ordinaria (economica, non tracciata) → Ordinary mail (cheap, not tracked) •
Posta prioritaria (più veloce) → Priority mail (faster) •
Raccomandata (tracciata, con ricevuta) → Registered mail (tracked, with receipt).
4) Sending a parcel
- Choose a strong box and pack carefully.
- Fill in the form (sender, receiver, weight, contents).
- Choose the service (e.g. Paccocelere or private courier).
- Give it to the counter and keep the receipt with the tracking number.
5) Useful phrases (IT → EN → Pronunciation)
6) Essential vocabulary
Tip: check opening times and possible queues at your local post office; bring a pen and your ID.