Lesson 5.2 — Differenze culturali — A complaint abroad (Italian B1)

Listen first

A guest complains at a hotel reception about a room that doesn't match the booking.

🔊 Real audio — spoken by your browser in Italian. Tap any word below to hear it.

New vocabulary — tap to hear

l'usanzathe custom 🔊

lamentarsito complain 🔊

il rimborsothe refund 🔊

delusodisappointed 🔊

aspettarsito expect 🔊

risarcireto compensate 🔊

Now say it

Tap the phrase to hear it, then press the mic and repeat — we score your pronunciation for real (Chrome/Edge).

« Mi aspettavo un servizio migliore, perciò vorrei un rimborso. » 🔊

I was expecting better service, so I'd like a refund.

—

Pronunciation

Live conversation lab

Practise this dialogue live with a native-trained tutor. Next session opens soon.

Read the dialogue

Tap any line to hear it. Grammar appears in context, never as a dry rule.

Buonasera, vorrei lamentarmi: la camera non corrisponde a quella che avevo prenotato. 🔊Good evening, I'd like to complain: the room doesn't match the one I had booked.

Mi dispiace molto. Mi può spiegare qual è il problema? 🔊I'm very sorry. Can you explain what the problem is?

Mi aspettavo una camera con vista, ma questa dà sul parcheggio. Sono rimasto deluso. 🔊I was expecting a room with a view, but this one looks onto the car park. I was disappointed.

Capisco. Posso spostarla domani, oppure offrirle un rimborso parziale. 🔊I understand. I can move you tomorrow, or offer you a partial refund.

Preferirei la camera con vista. Da noi, in questi casi, ci si aspetta una soluzione subito. 🔊I'd prefer the room with a view. Where I'm from, in such cases, one expects a solution right away.

Ha ragione. Provvederò personalmente a risolvere la situazione. 🔊You're right. I'll personally see to resolving the situation.

Grammar in focus · complaining politely

Open a complaint courteously: « Vorrei lamentarmi », « Avrei un problema ». Explain with the imperfetto for expectations (« Mi aspettavo una camera più grande ») and passato prossimo for what happened (« Sono rimasto deluso »). Request a remedy with the conditional: « Preferirei… », « Vorrei un rimborso ». For cultural generalisations use the impersonal si: « Da noi si fa così », « In Italia ci si saluta con due baci ».

Write it yourself

Write a polite 5–6 line complaint about a service abroad that disappointed you, asking for a solution.

Your answer

Saved to your writing portfolio

Tip for this task
Bene! Stay firm but courteous: describe the problem clearly, then request a remedy with the conditional, e.g. « Gradirei un rimborso o una soluzione alternativa ».

Quick check

An adaptive quiz confirms you've got it and schedules the right words for review.

1. « Vorrei ___ del rumore. » (to complain)

2. « Il rimborso » means:

3. Impersonal custom: « In Italia ___ saluta con due baci. »

Back to module