Come si dice "Fill 'er up" in Italiano?

We always just say "il pieno" - seems to do the trick

I always say "Mi fa il pieno per piacere". I then add "Senza Piombo" (Unleaded).Or I do - on occasion - just ask for "Trenta euro - senza piombo per piacere". This way I don't have to buy large amounts every time. Many Italians only buy 10 euro's worth at a time - especially the youngsters and pensioners. This is quite acceptable over here.

your right about the Italians and there small purchases... also young people i have seen buy as little as five... don't know why i have hit on the number but i always go for 30 euro... a fill up hits the 70 euro mark ... and i only do that when heading off somewhere.. senza piombo is more a habit thing...and you do hear people saying it but none of the filling stations here have any petrol with lead now anyway usually they check between diesel and benzinagetting to know a good local garage as regards price when living here can save you a lot of money... price seems to be creeping up again... and for us its worth when we are the other side of town near the commercial centre using the station there ... saving almost 10 cents a liter... these stations attached to supermarkets are becoming more common and whilst not worth making a special journey too ... i prefer the man or woman filling the car anyway...and they often clean the screen.. they also repair punctures etc.. on lawnmower or barrow tyres..and are generally helpful and knowledgeable on all car type things... plus they generally have a good local bar near by and let you park whilst getting a quick coffee fixi also out of habit always get out of the car and pay before they finsih filling up...say hello etc and then get back in the car... not to check that i get what i pay for... but just out of politeness... for me anyway... i sort of feel rude doing everything through the window

Just a quick thought; if you let your car petrol tank get so low that you may end up running out, you are also encouraging residue to be pulled through the supply to the engine. Although most modern vehicles are fitted with a myriad of filters to avoid this; it seems logical to have your engine running as efficiently as possible, so try not to compromise efficiency by dragging gung through the system. Swings and roundabouts....

We've had a number of filling stations near us urn into JJ Low Cost which is really great- they are still owned by the same people but they are now no longer affiliated with companies such as Tamoil and their prices are always low so I can fill up cheaply while still putting money into my local petrol man's pocket

Thanks for all this. It will help my pitiful former attemps, supplemented with my hand held flat under my chin to indicate full up!

I would be very careful with body language in Italy as Italians have their own codes. Your hand or a finger under your chin, particularly if you move them backwards and forwards may mean "me ne frego" which translates as "I don't give a damn" http://italian.about.com/library/nosearch/blgestures026.htmYou will find a comprehensive list of gestures and their meanings in the same page. Italians speak a lot with their hands, so it is useful to know what they want to say.

Gala Placida said: "I would be very careful with body language in Italy as Italians have their own codes. Your hand or a finger under your chin, particularly if you move them backwards and forwards may mean "me ne frego" which translates as "I don't give a damn" http://italian.about.com/library/nosearch/blgestures026.htm" I spent some years on the East Coast of the US - I've seen that one! I hope my gesture is not offensive. At least no one has recoiled in horror so far.

HI!you can also say: "il pieno, per favore". It's shorter but not less formal than the above expressions.I usually spend 20 euros a week and noticed that they don't clean the screen under this amount :( Here's some related expressions that you may use in Italy:

Replying to the question "Dove vai? / Where are you going?" you could answer: "Vado a far benzina / I'm going to fill it up"
If you notice that your car is running out of petrol: "Sono in riserva / I'm running on an empty car"
In an unluckily situation: "se non faccio benzina subito, rimango a piedi" / If I don't fill it up immediately I may be left on foot!"

Mi raccomando, fate sempre benzina!! :)

Don't worry, it is not offensive; however, in view of the importance that Italians attach to body language in communications, it would be good to have a look at the site I gave you as it helps to understand many non-spoken messages.