Learn Italian: Il pizzo francese costa cinquanta euro al metro. - The French lace costs fifty euros per meter.

In Italian, the preposition a combined with a definite article is the standard way to express rates, prices, and frequency. While you might occasionally hear per used in this way by Italian speakers, al metro (a + il) is the most natural and grammatically correct way to say "per meter" or "a meter".

Is the definite article always required with a for rates and measurements?

Yes, when expressing rates with the preposition a, you must combine it with the definite article that matches the unit of measurement or time. Since metro is masculine singular, it takes the article il, resulting in al. If you were talking about a rate "per week," it would be alla settimana (a + la).

Doesn't il pizzo mean mafia protection money?

It does! In news and crime contexts, pagare il pizzo means to pay extortion money. However, its original meaning in textiles is "lace." The context of buying it by the meter makes it perfectly clear that we are talking about French lace, not a French mafia shakedown.

Why is it cinquanta euro and not cinquanta euri?