Italian Phrase
I bambini sotto i 5 anni viaggiano gratis.
Meaning
Children younger than five years old travel without paying. The sentence is often heard on trains, buses, and other public‑transport tickets, indicating a policy that exempts the youngest passengers from fare.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are asking about or explaining ticket rules on public transport, at a travel agency, or when reading a brochure that lists fare discounts for families.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ibambinisottoi5anniviaggianogratis
Articolo determinativo plurale
‘I’ is the masculine plural definite article, used here because ‘bambini’ is masculine plural.
Preposizione ‘sotto’
‘Sotto’ means ‘under’ and is followed by a noun phrase indicating the age limit.
Numero con articolo
In Italian ages are expressed with the article + number + noun, e.g., ‘i 5 anni’ (the five years).
Verbo ‘viaggiare’ al presente
‘Viaggiano’ is the third‑person plural present of ‘viaggiare’, agreeing with ‘i bambini’.
Avverbio ‘gratis’
‘Gratis’ is an adverb meaning ‘for free’; it can also be expressed with ‘gratuitamente’ for a more formal tone.
🗨In Conversation
I bambini sotto i 5 anni viaggiano gratis?
Do children under five travel for free?
Sì, è così per tutti i treni regionali, ma per i treni ad alta velocità c’è un piccolo supplemento.
Yes, that’s the case for all regional trains, but high‑speed trains charge a small extra fee.
✕Common Mistakes
I bambini sotto i 5 viaggiano gratis.
‘Sotto i 5’ is incomplete; you need the noun ‘anni’ after the number.
I bambini sotto i 5 anni viaggiano gratuiti.
While ‘gratis’ is correct, beginners sometimes replace it with ‘gratuito’, which is an adjective and would need agreement (e.g., ‘viaggiano gratuiti’ is wrong).
I bambini sotto i 5 anni viaggiano gratuitamente.
If you want to be more formal, use ‘gratuitamente’ instead of ‘gratis’. The meaning stays the same.
↔Alternatives
I bambini di età inferiore a 5 anni viaggiano gratis.
Children of an age lower than five travel for free.
I bambini più piccoli di 5 anni viaggiano gratis.
Children younger than five travel for free.
I bambini sotto i cinque anni viaggiano gratis.
Children under five years old travel for free.
Cultural Tip
In Italy many regional train companies, city buses, and even some ferry services allow children under five to travel free of charge, but the exact rule can differ by region or transport operator. Always check the specific carrier’s policy, especially for long‑distance or high‑speed services, where a reduced fare rather than a completely free ticket may apply.