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L'abbonamento si può pagare alla cassa.

L'abbonamento si può pagare alla cassa.
The membership can be paid at the checkout.
From Lesson 273:Passive 'si' with modal verbs (si deve fare)·Italian

Questions & Answers about L'abbonamento si può pagare alla cassa.

Why do we need the si before può pagare?
The si creates a passive meaning, known as the si passivante. Together with the modal verb può (can), it translates to "can be paid." Without the si, L'abbonamento può pagare would mean "The membership can pay," which doesn't make sense.
Can I attach the si to the end of the verb instead?
Yes! When using a modal verb like potere (can) with an infinitive verb like pagare (to pay), you can either put the si before the conjugated modal verb, as in this sentence, or attach it to the end of the infinitive by dropping its final -e. So, L'abbonamento può pagarsi alla cassa is also perfectly correct.
What would happen to the verb if we were paying for multiple memberships?
In this passive structure, the item being paid for is actually the grammatical subject of the sentence. Because l'abbonamento is singular, we use the singular può. If it were plural (gli abbonamenti), the modal verb would have to match it: Gli abbonamenti si possono pagare alla cassa.
Why use alla before cassa?
Alla cassa translates to "at the checkout" or "at the cash register." In Italian, we use the preposition a for this specific location. Since cassa is a feminine noun, a combines with the definite article la to become the combined preposition alla.

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