Italian Phrase
Controlla la lista al banco.
Meaning
The sentence tells someone to look over or verify a list that is located at the counter. It is a direct, informal instruction often heard in service settings such as banks, post offices, or ticket offices.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need a colleague, a client, or a friend to double‑check a document list that is placed on the service counter. It works well in both professional contexts (e.g., a bank teller asking a customer) and casual situations (e.g., a friend reminding you to check a waiting list).
✦Grammar Breakdown
Controllalalistaalbanco
Imperativo (tu)
‘Controlla’ is the second‑person singular imperative of ‘controllare’, used for informal commands.
Articolo determinativo femminile
‘la’ precedes the feminine noun ‘lista’; it does not change in the imperative.
Preposizione articolata ‘al’
‘al’ = a + il; it introduces the place where the action should happen (the counter).
Maschile singolare ‘banco’
‘banco’ means ‘counter, desk, bench’; in a bank it refers to the service desk.
🗨In Conversation
Controlla la lista al banco, per favore.
Check the list at the counter, please.
Certo, la prendo subito.
Sure, I’ll get it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Controlli la lista al banco.
‘Controlli’ is the formal imperative; using it with a friend sounds overly stiff.
Controlla alla lista al banco.
‘alla’ is the contraction of a + la, but ‘lista’ is already preceded by ‘la’, so ‘alla lista’ would be redundant.
Controlla la lista al banco della banca.
In many regions ‘banco’ is understood, but ‘sportello’ is the standard term for a bank counter; using ‘banco’ in a formal setting may sound informal.
↔Alternatives
Verifica la lista al banco.
Verify the list at the counter.
Dai un'occhiata alla lista al banco.
Take a look at the list at the counter.
Controlla la lista allo sportello.
Check the list at the service desk.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, the word ‘banco’ is often used for the physical counter in banks, post offices, or ticket offices, but the more formal term for a bank’s service desk is ‘sportello’. When speaking to a stranger or a customer, you might prefer the polite imperative ‘Controlli…’ instead of the informal ‘Controlla…’. Also, Italians usually keep a printed list of required documents at the counter, so pointing to it is common practice.