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Can anyone tell me what the difference is between Barberia and Barbiere, and when it is appropriate to use them?
I am doing a sign for a Barber Shop who wants to use the Italian wording. The shop has a name of it's own, this word would be to let people know what kind of shop it is (example: A Cut Above - Barbershop).
From my understanding:
Barberia = Barber Shop
La Barberia = Barber Shop
Barbiere = Barber Shop OR Barber
Il Barbiere = The Barber
Which is the most commonly used in Italy?
Thanks!
Il Barbiere = The Barber is correct;
The most common way in Italy to mean "Barber shop" is "Barbiere", too.
example:
"Vado dal barbiere" (I am going to the barber shop)
or
"Sei stato dal barbiere?" (Have you been at the barber shop?)
Barberia or La Barberia ("La" is just the determiner, like "the") is in my experience quite uncommon; it seems also a bit "old-fashioned" word and I can't exclude that some barbers use it as a distinctive brand name for their shop.
p.s. "vado dal barbiere" is in fact a figure of speech (a metonymy if I am not wrong)
p.p.s. "Barberia" is also an old way to denote a region in north Africa
"Vado dal barbiere" (I am going to the barber shop) or rather, I am going to the barber's.
Apr 24, 2018 at 21:23