Learn Hardcore Italian: Vorrei acquistare anche una camicia scontata che ho visto in vetrina. - I would also like to buy a discounted shirt I saw in the shop window.

Vorrei is the conditional form of volere (“to want”) and translates as “I would like.” It’s more polite and less direct than voglio (“I want”). In a shop or customer-service context, using vorrei softens the request, making it sound more courteous.

What’s the difference between acquistare and comprare?

Both verbs mean “to buy,” but there’s a slight nuance in register:

Acquistare is more formal and often used in writing or in business contexts.
Comprare is more colloquial and very common in everyday speech.
You can use either in a shop, but acquistare sounds a bit more refined.

What does anche mean here, and why is it placed before una camicia?

Anche means “also” or “too.” In this sentence it shows you want to add something to your purchase. Placement matters:

Vorrei acquistare anche una camicia… emphasizes that the shirt is an additional item.
If you say Vorrei anche acquistare una camicia…, you shift the emphasis to the act of buying (i.e. “I would also like to buy, not just look around”).

What does scontata mean, and why does it agree with camicia?

Scontata is the past participle of scontare (“to discount”) used as an adjective meaning “discounted.” Italian adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Since camicia is feminine singular, the adjective becomes scontata (ending in -a).

Why is che used here, and what does it refer to?

Che is a relative pronoun that means “that” or “which.” It introduces the clause che ho visto in vetrina (“that I saw in the window display”). Here che refers back to una camicia scontata, linking the description of the shirt with the action of seeing it.

Why is the past participle visto instead of vista after che ho visto?

In Italian, when you have avere plus the relative pronoun che, the past participle does not agree in gender and number. So even though la camicia is feminine, you still use the masculine singular form visto. Agreement with past participles only happens when a direct-object pronoun precedes the verb (e.g. l’ho vista).

What does in vetrina mean?

In vetrina literally means “in the shop window” or “on display.” A vetrina is the glass showcase you see from the street. So ho visto in vetrina = “I saw it in the window display.”

Could I reorder the sentence, for example Vorrei anche acquistare una camicia scontata…? What changes?

Yes, you can move anche before acquistare, but the nuance shifts:

Original: Vorrei acquistare anche una camicia… → You’re saying you want to buy an additional item (the discounted shirt).
Reordered: Vorrei anche acquistare una camicia… → You’re emphasizing that you’d like to buy something, not just browse or try on.
Both are correct, but they highlight different parts of your intention.