Meaning
under the counter
- Secretly, illegally, or underhand, especially in commercial or official transactions.
In a sentence
Il commerciante vendeva sigarette sottobanco senza alcuna autorizzazione.
The shopkeeper sold cigarettes under the counter without any permit.
Hanno distribuito i biglietti della partita sottobanco agli amici.
They distributed the match tickets under the table to friends.
Non accettiamo accordi conclusi sottobanco in questa azienda.
We do not accept deals made under the table at this company.
Usage notes
- Invariable adverb; sometimes written separately as 'sotto banco'.
- Commonly used with verbs like 'vendere', 'pagare', or 'passare'.