Back to Renting An Apartment

Italian Phrase

C'è una lavanderia qui?

/tʃe ˈuna lad·vaˈnerja ˈkwi/

Meaning"Is there a laundry here?"

💡

Meaning

The sentence asks whether there is a laundry (or laundromat) nearby. It’s a straightforward way to look for a place to wash clothes while you’re out and about.

🎯

When to use

Use this phrase when you’re traveling, moving to a new neighborhood, or simply need to find a place to do laundry. It works in both casual conversations with locals and when asking staff at hotels or tourist information desks.

✦Grammar Breakdown

C'èunalavanderiaqui?

1

C'è (ci è)

Contraction of 'ci è', used to indicate existence or presence of something, similar to 'there is' in English.

2

Indefinite article 'una'

Feminine singular indefinite article, used before a feminine noun that is not previously known to the listener.

3

Noun 'lavanderia'

Feminine noun meaning 'laundry' or 'laundromat', the place where you wash clothes.

4

Adverb 'qui'

Means 'here', indicating location close to the speaker.

5

Question intonation

In spoken Italian, a rising intonation at the end signals a yes‑no question; the written question mark mirrors this.

🗨In Conversation

A

Scusi, c'è una lavanderia qui?

Excuse me, is there a laundry here?

Sì, c'è una a due isolati da qui, sulla via Roma.

Yes, there’s one two blocks away, on Via Roma.

B

✕Common Mistakes

C'è una lavanderia là?
Use 'qui' for 'here' and 'là' for 'there' (farther away). 'Là' would change the meaning to ask about a place farther from the speaker.
C'è un lavanderia qui?
Do not use the masculine article 'un' because 'lavanderia' is feminine; the correct article is 'una'.
C'è una lavanderia qui
In written Italian a yes‑no question requires a question mark; omitting it can make the sentence look like a statement.

↔Alternatives

C'è una lavanderia nelle vicinanze?
Is there a laundry nearby?
Dove posso trovare una lavanderia?
Where can I find a laundry?
C'è una lavanderia aperta adesso?
Is there a laundry open right now?

Cultural Tip

In Italy many neighborhoods have small, family‑run lavanderie where you can drop off clothes and pick them up later. Larger cities also have self‑service laundromats (lavanderie automatiche) that operate 24/7. When asking for directions, it’s polite to start with "Scusi" or "Mi scusi" and thank the person with "Grazie" after they answer.