In Italy queues are not always respected.
CO-da — stress on first syllable. 'Coda' literally means 'tail' — hence a queue.
Know this before joining any Italian queue — at the post office, market stall, or government office. What looks like a queue may not function as one. Asserting your place politely is sometimes necessary.
Italian queuing culture is notoriously relaxed, especially at market stalls and small shops. Italians may crowd around a counter rather than forming a neat line. At government offices, numbered tickets are used. At markets, 'chi è l'ultimo?' (who is last?) establishes your place informally. Being too passive can mean waiting forever.
Chi è l'ultimo?
Who is last (in the queue)?
The correct Italian way to find your place in an informal queue.
Scusi, ero prima di lei.
Excuse me, I was before you.
Polite but firm assertion of queue position.
C'è un sistema di numerini qui?
Is there a ticketing system here?
Asks if tickets are used to manage the queue — common in offices.
The Italian phrase 'chi è l'ultimo?' is one of the most practically useful to learn. Used at market stalls, bakeries and delis, it immediately establishes your place in the informal Italian queue system without confrontation. Italians respect this question — it shows you know the system.