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Italian Words and Phrases for Travel – Bella!
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Why You Should Learn a Few Italian Words and Phrases
If you plan to travel to Italy you should learn at least a handful of Italian words and phrases.
Although English is common in Italy’s larger cities like Florence, Rome, Venice, and the Amalfi coast, fewer people speak English in the smaller towns and less touristy regions. A little bit of Italian goes a long way to pleasing local Italians. You delight them when you attempt to speak their language and you will find they are friendly and patient as you give it your best to try to speak a few Italian words or phrases.
Not only is your effort to speak Italian appreciated by the locals, but Italian is an expressive language full of life, expression, and love. It is la bella lingua – the beautiful language!
Google Translate App
We strongly recommend you download google translate app before you head off to Italy. Even though we ourselves can speak a few simple words and phrases, google translate helped when we had to communicate in more complex situations than ordering a cappucino or gelato. We had to use google translate when Dom’s laptop was stolen in Perugia, and when Dom left his backpack on the train (with his passport in the backpack!) on our way to Alberobello and we had to talk to local police and the national train service on a 3-way call to retrieve it.
Download the apps here:
When speaking Italian, the emphasis is usually on the second to the last syllable. I have noted this with all caps below.
Basic Greetings
- Buongiorno (bwohn-JOHR-noh) – Hello/Good morning
- Buon pomeriggio (bwon po-meh-REEJ-joh) – Good afternoon
- Buonosera (bwoh-nah-SEH-rah) – Good evening
- Arrivederci (ahr-ree-veh-DEHR-chee) – Goodbye (formal)
- Ciao (chee-AH-oh) – Hello/Goodbye (informal)
- Salve (SAHL-veh) – Hello/Goodbye (informal)
- Buonanotte (bwoh-nah-NOHT-teh) – Goodnight (informal)
Common Phrases
- Sì (SEE) – Yes
- No (NOH) – No
- Per favore (pehr fah VOH reh) – Please
- Grazie (grah TSEE eh) – Thank you
- Prego (PREH goh) – You’re welcome
- Scusa/Scusi (SKOOH zah/zee) – I’m sorry/Excuse me
- (Non) capisco (kah PEE Koh) – I (don’t) understand
- (Non) problema (proh BLEH mah) – (No) problem
- Va bene (BEH-nay) – Good
Common Questions
- Parla inglese? (pahr-lah een-gleh-zeh) – Do you speak English?
- Cosa? (koh-sah) – What?
- Quando? (kwahn-doh) – When?
- Chi? (kee) – Who?
- Dove? (doh-veh) – Where?
- Perché? (pehr-keh) – Why?
- Come? (koh-meh) – How?
- Come si chiamo (como see key-amo) – What is your name?
- Mi chiamo (Mee key-amo) – My name is…
- Non parlo Italiano (Non par-low ee-talyano) – I don’t speak Italian
- Un momento (oon moh-mehn-toh) – Just a moment
- Oggi (oh-jee) – today
- Domani (doh-mah-nee) – Tomorrow
- Adesso (ah-deh-soh) – Now
- Presto (preh-stoh) – Soon
- Tardi (tar-dee) – Later
- Piacere! (Pee-ya-chair-ay) – Pleased to meet you
- La stazione (lah stah-see-oh-nay) – The train station
- La stazione degli autobus (leh stah-see-oh-nay) – The bus station
- Sono Americano (So-know Amer-ee-ca-know) – I’m American
- Come stai? (Comay sty?) – How are you?
- E gratis? (eh grah-tees) – Is it free?
- E incluso? (eh een-kloo-zoh) – Is it included?
- Quanto? (kwanh-toh) – How much?
- Vorremno (voh-reh-noh) – We’d like…
- La toilette (lah twah-leh-tay) – The toilet
- Signori (seen-yoh-ree) – Men
- Signore (seen-yoh-ray) – Women
- Sinistra (see-nee-strah) – Left
- Destra (dee-strah) – Right
- E possible? (eh poh-see-bee-lay) – Is it possible?
- Il conto, per favore? (eel kohn-toh pehr fah-voh-reh) – Will You Bring Us the Bill, Please?
- Dove si mangia il miglior gelato? (doh-veh see mahn-jah eel meel-yohr geh-lah-toh) – Where can I get the best ice-cream?
- A che ora apre/chiode (ah kay oh-rah ah-pray/kee-oo-day) – What time does this open/close?
Problems
- Mi lasci in pace (mee LAH-shee in PAH-cheh) – Leave me alone
- Non mi toccare! (NOHN mee toh-KAH-re!) – Don’t touch me!
- Vai via! (VAH-ee VEE-ah!) – Go away!
- Chiamo la polizia. (KYAH-moh lah poh-lee-TSEE-yah!) – I’ll call the police
- Polizia! (poh-lee-TSEE-yah!) – Police!
- Al fuoco! (ahl foo-OH-coh!) – Fire!
- Fermo! Al ladro! (FEHR-moh! ahl LAH-droh!) Stop! Thief!
- Ho bisogno del tuo aiuto. (oh bee-ZOH-nyoh dehl too-oh ah-YOO-toh) – I need your help.
- È un’emergenza. (eh oo-neh-mehr-JEN-tsah) – It’s an emergency.
- Mi sono perso/a. (mee soh-noh PEHR-soh/sah) – I’m lost.
- Ho perso la mia borsa. (oh PEHR-soh lah MEE-ah BOHR-sah) – I lost my bag.
- Ho perso il mio portafoglio. (oh PEHR-soh eel MEE-oh pohr-tah-FOH-lyoh) – I lost my wallet.
- Sono malato/a. (SOH-noh mah-LAH-toh/tah) – I’m sick.
- Mi sono ferito/a. (mee SOH-noh feh-REE-toh/tah) – I’ve been injured.
- Ho bisogno di un medico. (oh bee-ZOH-nyoh dee oon meh-DEE-coh) – I need a doctor.
- Posso usare il suo telefono? (POH-soh oo-ZAH-reh eel SOO-oh teh-LEH-foh-noh?) – Can I use your phone?
Directions
Come si arriva a… ? (Koh-meh see ahr-REE-vah ah…?) – How do I get to…?
- …alla stazione ferroviaria? (…ahl-LAH stah-DSYOH-neh fehr-roh-VYAH-ryah?) – …to the railway station?
- …alla stazione dell’autobus? (…ahl-LAH stah-DSYOH-neh dehl-LOW-toh-boos?) – …to the bus station?
- …all’aeroporto? (…ahl-lah-eh-roh-POHR-toh?) – …to the airport?
- …in centro? (…een CHEHN-troh) – …downtown?
- …al hotel? (…ahl Oh-TEHL?) – …the hotel?
Restaurant Basics
- Mancia (mahn-chah) – tip
- Accettate carte di credito? (ah-chet-tah-tay kar-tay dee kreh-dee-toh) – Do you accept credit cards?
- Rosso/bianco (roh-soh/bee-ahn-koh) – Red/white
- Vino (vee-noh) – wine
- Caffe/te (kah-feh/the) – Coffee/tea
- Latte (lah-tay) – milk
- Aqua minerale (ah-kway mee-neh-rah-lay) – Mineral water
- Aqua del rubinetto (ah-kwah dehl roo-bee-neh-toh) – Tap water
- Frutta/legumi (froo-tah/lay-goo-mee) – Fruit/vegetables
- Frutta di mare (froo-tee dee mah-ray) – Seafood
- Pesce (peh-shay) – Fish
- Pollo (poh-loh) – Chicken
- Carne (kar-nay) – Meat
- Insalata (een-sah-lah-tah) – Salad
- Panino (pah-nee-noh) – Sandwich
- Formaggio (for-mah-joh) – Cheese
- Pane (pah-nay) – Bread
- Contorni (kohn-tor-nee) – Side dishes
- Primo piatto (pree-moh pee-ah-toh) – First course (pasta, soup)
- Secondo piatto (see-kohn-doh pee-ah-toh) – Main course (fish, meat)
- Con/senza (kohn/sehnt-sah) – With/without
- Da portar via (dah por-tar vee-ah) – To go
- Servizio (non) incluso (sehr-veet-see-oh (nohn) eeh-kloo-zoh) – Service (not) included
- Vorremmo (voh-rah-moh) – We’d like…
- …prenotare (pre-noh-tah-ray) – …to reserve…
- …un tavolo per due (oon-tah-voh-loh pehr doo-ay) – …a table for two
Basic Numbers
- uno (OO-noh) – 1
- due (DOO-eh) – 2
- tre (treh) – 3
- quattro (KWAH-troh) – 4
- cinque (CHEEN-kweh) – 5
- sei (SEH-ee) – 6
- sette (SEH-teh) – 7
- otto (OH-toh) – 8
- nove (NOH-veh) – 9
- dieci (DYEH-chee) – 10
Days Of The Week
- Domenica (doh-MEH-nee-kah) – Sunday
- Lunedì (loo-neh-DEE) – Monday
- Martedì (mahr-teh-DEE) – Tuesday
- Mercoledì (mehr-koh-leh-DEE) – Wednesday
- Giovedì (joh-veh-DEE) – Thusday
- Venerdì (veh-nehr-DEE) – Friday
- Sabato (SAH-bah-toh) – Saturday
- Oggi (OHD-jee) – Today
- Ieri (YEH-ree) – Yesterday
- Domani (doh-MAH-nee) – Tomorrow
- Questa settimana (KWEHS-tah seht-tee-MAH-nah) – This week
- La settimana scorsa (lah set-tee-MAH-nah SKOR-sah) – Last week
- La prossima settimana (lah PROHS-see-mah set-tee-MAH-nah) – Next week
Months Of The Year
- Gennaio (jehn-NAH-yoh) – January
- Febbraio (fehb-BRAH-yoh) – February
- Marzo (MAR-tso – March
- Aprile (ah-PREE-leh) – April
- Maggio (MAHD-joh) – May
- Giugno (JOO-nyoh) – June
- Luglio (LOO-lyoh) – July
- Agosto (ah-GOHS-toh) – August
- Settembre (seht-TEM-breh) – September
- Ottobre (oht-TOH-breh) – October
- Novembre (noh-VEHM-breh) – November
- Dicembre (dee-CHEM-breh) – December
Basic Colors
- Nero (NEH-ROH) – Black
- Bianco (BYAHN-koh) – White
- Grigio (GREE-joh) – Gray
- Rosso (ROHS-soh) – Red
- Blu (book) – Blue
- Giallo (JAHL-loh) – Yellow
- Verde (VEHR-deh) – Green
- Arancione (ah-rahn-CHOH-neh) – Orange
- Viola (VYOH-lah) – Purple
- Marrone (mahr-ROH-neh) – Brown
Visit our Italy Travel page for detailed information about traveling to Italy.
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2 Comments
Hairstyles
Really Appreciate this article, can I set it up so I get an alert email whenever you make a fresh article?
maggiew64
Hello. Thanks for the feedback. We are working on our email notifications and they should be online soon. You can sign up to receive our emails here: https://followourfootprints.com/newsletter-subscription/
Thank you,
Maggie