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Tiro fuori il portamonete e pago con le monete.

Tiro fuori il portamonete e pago con le monete.
I take out the coin purse and pay with coins.
FromLesson 58inHardcore Italian

Questions & Answers about Tiro fuori il portamonete e pago con le monete.

Is tirare fuori a fixed expression like an English phrasal verb?
Yes. Italian doesn’t have phrasal verbs in the English sense, but combinations like tirare fuori (literally: pull + out) behave similarly and are very common. It means to take out / pull out something. You will also see the clipped form tirar fuori (dropping the final -e) in speech and informal writing; it’s the same thing. Synonyms include estrarre (more formal), togliere (to remove), and colloquial cacciare fuori.
Can I say Io tiro fuori…, or should I drop io?
You can include io, but Italian usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the subject. So Tiro fuori… is the normal choice. Use Io tiro fuori… if you want emphasis or contrast (e.g., Not you—I will take it out).
Is Tiro fuori the same as Sto tirando fuori?

They’re both correct, but not identical in nuance:

  • Tiro fuori can describe a present, a near-future plan, a habitual action, or a narrative present.
  • Sto tirando fuori emphasizes the action is in progress right now.
    In a step-by-step narration of what you’re doing, the simple present is very common.
What are the gender and plural of portamonete? Any synonyms?
  • Il portamonete is masculine.
  • The plural is invariable: i portamonete.
    Synonyms/near-synonyms:
  • il borsellino (coin purse; quite common)
  • il portafoglio (wallet, typically for bills/cards, not specifically coins)
  • Colloquial: porta-spicci, portaspicci (change purse)
Why does portamonete look plural? Shouldn’t it be portamoneta?
In many porta- compounds, the second part is the plural of what the object holds: portamonete literally “coin-holder,” where monete is plural. The whole compound is singular as a noun meaning “coin purse.” The form portamoneta is not standard.
Can I use portafoglio instead of portamonete here?
Only if you mean a wallet (for bills/cards). Portamonete/borsellino is specifically a coin purse. In everyday speech, some people use portafoglio loosely, but if you want to be precise about coins, use portamonete or borsellino.
Where does fuori go? Can I say Tiro il portamonete fuori?

Both are possible:

  • Tiro fuori il portamonete (most common)
  • Tiro il portamonete fuori (also fine)
    With pronouns, fuori stays after the verb:
  • Lo tiro fuori (I take it out)
  • Glielo tiro fuori (I take it out for him/her)
How do I add where I’m taking it out from?

Use da:

  • Tiro fuori il portamonete dalla borsa/dallo zaino.
    If the source is already known, you can replace it with ne:
  • Ne tiro fuori il portamonete. (I take the coin purse out of it/from there)
Is prendere fuori okay, or should I stick to tirare fuori?

Tirare fuori is the safest, most general choice.

  • Prendere fuori is common regionally (especially in the North) but is less standard.
  • Togliere (remove), estrarre (formal), cacciare fuori (colloquial), levare (regional) are alternatives depending on tone.
Why is it il portamonete and not un portamonete?
The definite article il suggests a specific, known item—typically your own coin purse. If you meant “a coin purse” in a non-specific sense, you’d use un portamonete. Italian uses definite articles more than English when referring to familiar objects.
Why is it e pago, not ed pago? When do I use ed?
Use ed mainly before words starting with a vowel for euphony: ed è, ed entra. Since pago starts with a consonant, you use e pago. Using ed before consonants is rare and stylistic.
Is pago con le monete idiomatic? Could I say pago in contanti or pago con la carta?

All are correct, but some are more idiomatic:

  • Paying cash: pagare in contanti (set phrase; most natural)
  • Paying by card: pagare con la carta / con la carta di credito; in Italy you’ll also hear con il bancomat (debit card)
  • Paying with coins: pagare con le monete is fine, though many would say pagare con gli spiccioli or pagare in monete depending on context.
Should it be in contanti or con i contanti?
The idiomatic standard is in contanti. Con i contanti is understandable but less natural and less common.
Why le monete and not delle monete or just monete?
  • Le monete implies a specific, understood set (often the coins you have on you/the ones you just took out).
  • Delle monete means “some coins” (more indefinite).
  • Bare monete without an article is uncommon here.
    Context determines which article sounds best; many speakers would avoid the issue by saying in contanti or con gli spiccioli.
What about spiccioli? Is that better here?

Very natural in speech:

  • Pago con gli spiccioli = I pay with change/small coins.
    You’ll also hear the colloquial short form gli spicci. Note that spiccioli suggests small-denomination coins specifically.
Any spelling/conjugation traps with pagare?

Yes: to keep the hard g sound before -i- and -e-, Italian inserts h:

  • Present: pago, paghi, paga, paghiamo, pagate, pagano
  • Subjunctive: paghi, paghiamo, etc.
    Also, don’t confuse pago (I pay) with pagò (he/she paid, passato remoto).
Does moneta also mean “currency”? And what’s banconota?
  • La moneta can mean a single coin or, in economic contexts, a currency (e.g., la moneta unica = the single currency).
  • La banconota means banknote/bill; plural le banconote.
    So you can contrast monete (coins) and banconote (bills).
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