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So, you’ve decided to finally make that trip to Italy and couldn’t be more excited. The countdown has begun when you realize… sh*t! You don’t know a blip of Italian! No worries, I’ve got you covered. The following Italian phrases listed especially for travelers will get you through any situation that might come up while on your trip. Not only will a rough understanding of these phrases help make your stay easier but in certain situations it will be all you can really rely on besides some obscure hand gesture that you’ve invented on the fly.
Don’t panic though! Most people in Italy do speak English! If, however, you plan on venturing to smaller towns, you might find that English is not as widely understood as in the cities. Even if you plan on sticking solely to big cities, I still highly recommend you become acquainted with these common Italian phrases. One of the biggest Italian pet-peeves is when foreigners assume everyone speaks English. It’s not considered very respectful and can rub a few people the wrong way.
Now I’m not saying you have to be fluent or have that perfect rolling “r,” but you should at least know some basic sentences to get you by in most situations. Opening with just a few words in Italian can go a long way when it comes to socializing. You’ll see that even just some three measly mispronounced words can generate much warmth and friendliness- everybody will want to help you or become your friend if you at least try to make an effort- who knows what doors speaking a little Italian might open?? You might just get invited on a boat…(this actually totally happened to me guys, I mean whaaat?!).
So, without further ado, here is a roundup of the most useful phrases to know in Italian.
**If you’re looking to have some vocab/phrase cards with you on your trip to Italy download the FREE note cards below and either print them or keep them on your mobile wherever you go!
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Basic Italian Phrases for Travelers – Greetings & Introductions
Starting with introductions, you should definitely at least know how to say the minimal ‘how are you’ in Italian. A kind ‘buongiorno’ should be your opening line in every situation whether it be with a store clerk or waiter… it is culturally expected that you greet everyone. Not saying ‘hi’ in Italy would be kind of like not saying ‘thank you’ in the US.
Here are some common Italian greetings that you can repurpose over and over again in all types of situation. I’ve listed their phonetic spelling as a sort of Italian pronunciation guide (pronunciation unfortunately is half the work when learning a new language!). Note that informal greetings are reserved only for friends and family. Anyone you don’t know well (especially if older) warrants a formal greeting.
- Hey/Hi/Bye (informal) – Ciao – [chow]
- Hello (more formal) – Salve – [sahl·veh]
- Goodbye (formal) – Arrivederci – [ahr·ree·veh·dehr·chee]
- Good Morning (formal) – Buongiorno – [bwohn·johr·noh]
- Good Afternoon/Evening – Buonasera – [bwoh·nah seh·rah]
- Good Night – Buona Notte – [bwoh·nah noht·teh]
- Thank You – Grazie – [grah·tsee·eh]
- Please – Per Favore – [pehr fah·voh·reh]
- You’re Welcome – Prego – [preh·goh]
- How Are You – Come sta? – [koh·meh stah]
- Fine, Thanks – Bene, grazie – [beh·neh grah·tsee·eh]
- My Name is – Mi chiamo… – [mee kee·ah·moh]
- Nice to Meet You – Piacere – [pee·ah·cheh·reh]
- Excuse Me (to get attention) – Mi Scusi – [mee scoo·zee]
- Pardon Me – Permesso – [pehr·meh·soh]
- I don’t understand – Non capisco – [nohn kah·pee·skoh]
- Do you speak English – Parla Inglese? – [pahr·lah een·gleh·zeh]
- I don’t speak Italian – Non parlo Italiano – [nohn pahr·loh een·gleh·zeh]
- Can you speak slower please? – Può parlare più lentamente per favore? – [pwoh pahr·lah·reh ·pyoo lehn·tah·mehn·the]
- Yes – Si – [see]
- No – No – [noh]
- Alright – Va bene – [vah beh·neh]
- Maybe – Forse – [fohr·seh]
*Is it BravA or BravO? A note on Adjectives! In Italian, adjectives acquire the gender and number of the noun(s) they are describing. “A” is used for feminine singular and “O” is used for masculine singular. Therefore, if the female opera singer at the theater is fantastic, you would shout BravA, not BravO.
Useful Italian Food Phrases – How to Order in a Restaurant?
Next up, let’s be real… 90% of your time in Italy is going to be spent in some kind of restaurant or café, am I right?? So aside from making sure you avoid embarrassing dining mistakes, you’re going to need some basic Italian when ordering food.
How to order in Italian and knowing what to expect from your lunch/dinner will help your dining experiences go by much more smoothly. You’ll see that with just a few Italian words, waiters will be much more open to chatting and suggesting what to order or how to go about pairing wines and desserts. You want the WHOLE Italian experience, right?! * For the best Italian dishes to try click here.
Italian Food Vocabulary to Know
- Appetizer – Antipasto – [ahn·tee pahs·toh]
- Salad – Insalata – [een·saa·lah·tah]
- Side Dish – Contorno – [kohn·tohr·noh]
- Soup – Zuppa – [tsoo·pah]
- First Course – Primo – [pree·moh]
- Second Course – Secondo – [seh·cohn·doh]
- Dessert – Dolce – [dohl·cheh]
- Bread – Pane – [pah-neh]
- House Wine – Vino della Casa – [vee·noh deh·lah kah·sah]
- Still Water – Liscia OR Naturale – [leesh·ah] [nah·too·rah·leh]
- Sparkling Water – Frizzante OR Gasata – [free·tsahn·teh] [gah·zah·tah]
- Parmesan – Parmiggiano – [pahr·mee·jah·noh]
- Waiter/Waitress – Cameriere/a – [kah·meh·ryeh·reh]
Meat Cooking Levels:
- Rare – Al Sangue – [aal sahn·gweh]
- Medium – Medio – [meh·dee·oh]
- Well done – Ben cotto – [behn koht·toh]
** You’ll often find menus in Italy divided into two categories: ‘Terra’ and ‘Pesce.’ The Terra Menu lists meat dishes, while the Pesce Menu lists seafood dishes.
Phrases:
- I would like… – Vorrei… – [voh·ray]
- I would like to reserve/book a table – Vorrei prenotare un tavolo – [voh·ray preh·noh·tah·reh oon ·tah·voh·loh]
- Do you have a free table? – Ha un tavolo disponibile? – [ah oon tah·voh·loh dees·poh·nee·bee·leh]
- Can I see the wine list? – Posso vedere la carta dei vini per favore? – [pohs·soh veh·deh·reh lah cahr·tah dey vee·nee pehr fah·voh·reh]
- Can I get some salt? – Posso avere del sale? – [pohs·soh ah·veh·reh dehl sahl·eh]
- Can I have some ice? – Posso avere del ghiaccio? – [pohs·soh ah·veh·reh dehl ghee·atch·oh]
- What do you recommend? – Cosa mi consiglia? – [kohsah mee kohn·seel·ya]
- What’s in this dish? – Cosa c’é in questo piatto? – [kohsah cheh enn kwehs·toh pee·ah·toh]
- Are there any house specials on the menu today? – Ci sono piatti del giorno? – [chee soh·noh pee·ah·tee dehl· johr·noh ohj·jee]
- I am lactose intolerant – Sono intollerante al lattosio – [soh.noh een·toh·leh·rahn·teh aal lah·toh·zee·oh]
- I am a vegetarian – Sono vegetarian – [soh·noh veh·jeh·tahr·ee·ah·noh]
- I am vegan – Sono vegano – [soh·noh veh·gah·noh]
- I am glucose intolerant – Sono celiaco/a – [soh·noh cheh·lee·ah·coh]
- I’m allergic to…. – Sono allergico/a a… – [soh·noh ah·lehr·gee·koh ah]
- Can I have the bill/check please? – Il conto per favore – [eel kohn·toh pehr fah·voh·reh]
- Can I pay with my credit card? – Posso pagare con la carta? – [pohs·soh pah·gah·reh cohn lah cahr·tah]
Italian Foods You’re Mispronouncing
If you want to avoid a blond moment and really earn that gold star in pronunciation, try learning the correct way of saying the following:
- Biscotto – [Bee·skoht·tee]
- Calzone – [Kahl·tso·neh]
- Bruschetta – [Broo·skeh·tah]
- Prosciutto – [Pro·shoot·toh]
- Gnocchi – [Nyoh·kee]
- Risotto – [Ree·zoht·toh]
How to Ask for Directions in Italian
A list of Italian phrases for travelers couldn’t be complete without a section on asking for directions. While exploring Italy, you’ll see that getting lost can become quite the habit (think of Venice and its mazelike alleys!) It’s generally good practice to always have a point of reference when exploring a new area. As such, I have listed the most common city places in Italian along with several other vocabulary and phrases to help you get oriented when asking for directions in Italian:
Common City Places in Italian – Reference Points
- Train Station – Stazione – [stah·tsee·oh·neh]
- Bank – Banca – [bahn·kah]
- Post Office – Ufficio Postale – [oof·fee·choh poh·stah·leh]
- Hotel – Albergo – [aal·behr·goh]
- Subway/Metro – Metro – [meh·troh]
- Bus stop – Fermata dell’Autobus – [fehr·mah·tah dehl aao·toh·boos]
- Airport – Aeroporto – [ah·eh·roh·por·toh]
- School – Scuola – [skoo·oh·lah]
- Supermarket – Supermercato – [soo·pehr·mehr·kah·toh]
- Church – Chiesa – [kyeh·sah]
- City Hall – Comune – [koh·moo·neh]
- Museum – Museo – [moo·seh·oh]
Which Way in Italian
- Left – Sinistra – [see·nees·trah]
- Right – Destra – [deh·strah]
- Straight Ahead – Diritto – [dreet·toh]
- Next to – Vicino a – [vee·chee·noh ah]
- Street – Via/Strada – [vee·ah] [strah·dah]
- Entrance – Entrata – [ehn·trah·tah]
- Exit – Uscita – [oo·shee·tah]
- Turn – Gira – [jee·rah]
- Roundabout – Rotonda – [roh·tohn·dah]
- Bridge – Ponte – [pon·teh]
- Crossroads – Incrocio – [een·kroh·choh]
- Highway – Autostrada – [aao·toh·strah·dah]
Phrases
- I’m lost, can you please help me? – Mi sono perso, mi può aiutare per favore? – [mee soh·noh pehr·soh]
- Where is the…? – Dov’é la/il…? – [doh·veh lah/eel]
- How do I get to…? – Come si arriva a… – [koh·meh see ahr·ree·vah ah]
- Which way do I go to get to …? – Da quale parte devo andare per arrivare a … –[dah kwahl·eh pahr·teh deh·voh ahn·dah·reh pehr ahr·ree·vah·reh ah]
Essential Italian Phrases for Traveling Around Italy
While we are on the topic of directions, you are most likely going to be moving around a fair amount while in Italy. From buses to trains here are some words to know when purchasing tickets or using transportation:
- Ticket – Biglietto – [bee·lyeht·oh]
- One-Way – Solo Andata – [soh·loh ahn·dah·tah]
- Roundtrip – Andata e Ritorno – [ahn·dah·tah eh ree·tohr·noh]
- Validate your Ticket – Convalidare il Biglietto – [kohn·vah·lee·dah·reh eel bee·lyeht·oh]
- On Time – In Orario – [een oh·rahr·ee·oh]
- Delayed – In Ritardo – [een ree·tahr·doh]
- Seat Number – Numero del Posto – [noo·meh·roh dehl pohs·toh]
- Aisle – Fila – [fee·lah]
- Suitcase – Valigia – [vah·lee·jah]
- Backpack – Zaino – [zah·ee·noh]
- Train Carriage/ Rail Car – Carrozza – [kah·roh·tsah]
- Platform – Binario – [bee·nah·ree·oh]
- Ferry – Traghetto – [tra·gheht·toh]
- One roundtrip ticket for … – Un biglietto andata e ritorno per … – [oon bee·lyeht·oh ahn·dah·tah eh ree·tohr·noh pehr]
Common Phrases for Shopping in Italian – Buying and Paying
We couldn’t of course forget to put a couple of shopping words in our little booklet of Italian phrases for travelers! From the countless made-in-Italy products to the many local artisan shops, you definitely will browse a couple stores or two while in Italy.
- Hand-made – fatto a mano – [fahtoh aah mah·noh]
- On Sale – in saldo – [een sahl·doh]
- Discount – sconto – [scohn·toh]
- Price – prezzo – [preh·tsoh]
- Debit card – bancomat – [baan·coh·mat]
- Cash – contanti – [cohn·taan·tee]
Phrases
- I’m looking for… – Sto cercando… – [stoh chehr·cahn·doh]
- How much does this/these cost? – Quanto costa/costano? – [kwahn·toh ·kohs·tah/kohs·tah·noh]
- Do you ship to…? – Spedite in? – [speh·dee·teh een]
- Can you gift-wrap? – Posso avere una confezione regalo? – [pohs·soh ah·veh·reh oo·nah kohn·feht·see·oh·neh reh·gah·loh]
- Where are the fitting rooms? – Dove sono i camerini? – [doh·veh soh·noh ee kah·meh·ree·nee]
- Can I try this on? – Posso provarmi questo? – [pohs·soh proh·vahr·mee kwehs·toh]
- Do you accept credit card? – Accettate carta di credito? – [atch·cheh·tah·teh cahr·tah dee creh·dee·toh]
- Where can I find an ATM? – Dove posso trovare un bancomat? – [doh·veh pohs·soh troh·vah·reh oon baan·coh·mat]
Learning the Correct Italian Names & Pronunciation of Common Cities
When in Italy, like when in any other country, it’s important to learn the names that cities and districts go by in the local language. Would you understand if an Italian referred to Chicago as Chee-caa-goh or Yosemite as Yo-zay-might? To avoid confusion and also quite a few snickers, it’s important to learn the Italian names of the cities/regions and areas you will be traveling to AND their pronunciation. Let’s start with how to pronounce Capri, the most commonly botched city name…
- Capri – Capri – [cah·pree]
- Cinque Terre – Cinque Terre – [cheen·kweh teh·rreh]
- Apulia – Puglia – [poo·lee·uh]
- Venice – Venezia – [veh·net·see·uh]
- Florence – Firenze – [fee·rent·seh]
- Rome – Roma – [row·mah]
- Naples – Napoli – [nah·poh·lee]
- Tuscany – Toscana – [toh·skaa·nah]
- Milan – Milano – [mee·lah·noh]
- Turin – Torino – [toh·ree·noh]
- Amalfi – Amalfi – [ah·maal·fee]
- Genoa – Genova – [jeh·noh·vuh]
- Bologna – Bologna – [boh·loh·nyah]
- Sicily – Sicilia – [see·chee·lee·ah]
- Sardinia – Sardegna – [saar·deh·nyah]
**Panino o Panini? Foreigners tend to always add an ‘ini’ to whatever they are saying to make it “Italian sounding”- this actually usually makes the word plural. So, sandwich is paninO and sandwiches is paninI, NOT panin(os).
Asking for Help in Italian – Travel Emergencies
Last but not least, in case of emergencies it’s always wise to know some basic terminology if your trip starts to turn south. These are the most important Italian travel phrases to learn just in case:
- Hospital – Ospedale – [oh·speh·dah·leh]
- Emergency Room – Pronto Soccorso – [pron-toh sok·kohr·soh]
- Ambulance – Ambulanza – [aam·boo·lahn·tsa]
- Help! – Aiuto! – [ayyoo·toh]
- Go Away! – Vai Via! – [vahye vee·ah]
- I don’t feel well – Non mi sento bene – [nohn mee sehn·toh beh·neh]
- Call an Ambulance – Chiamate un Ambulanza – [kyah·mah·teh oon aam·boo·lahn·tsa]
- Call a Doctor – Chiamate un Dottore – [kyah·mah·teh oon doh·toh·reh]
- Call the Police – Chiamate la Polizia/Carabinieri – [kyah·mah·teh lah poh·lee·tsee·ah/kah·rah·bee·nyehr·ee]
- I have been robbed – Sono stato/a rapinato/a – [soh·noh stah·toh/tah rah·pee·nah·toh/tah]
Hopefully this list of essential Italian phrases for travel will help you have a smoother and safer trip. I guarantee that if you are able to get just half of these terms down before your trip to Italy, you’re going to be well ahead of any tourist! Make sure to download my flashcards above if you want some basic Italian with you wherever you go!
Buon Viaggio!
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