Italian Phrases and Phrases Each Traveler Ought to Know Earlier than a Go to

In most massive cities and closely touristed areas in Italy, lodge and restaurant workers, shopkeepers, and museum attendants will virtually actually communicate not less than some English. However enterprise to smaller cities and out-of-the-way locations, and also you’re much less prone to be understood whenever you ask a query in English. And wherever you go in Italy, making an attempt to talk not less than some Italian with the folks you encounter is a standard courtesy and is often very a lot appreciated. 

“Italians will aid you whenever you attempt to communicate Italian,” a professor in Rome as soon as advised me, “as a result of they’re so grateful when anybody tries to study their loopy language.”

As my professor stated, Italians will likely be affected person with you whenever you attempt to communicate—and probably mangle—their language. Listed below are some pointers, phrases, and phrases to get you prepared on your subsequent journey to Italy.

Pronunciation Fundamentals 

A key distinction between Italian and French—and Italian and English for that matter—is that in Italian, there are virtually no silent letters—as an alternative we pronounce each letter within the phrase. Which means, for instance, essentially the most ubiquitous Italian phrase, grazie, isn’t pronounced grat-zee, however graht-tzee-yey—with three syllables, with the i and the e distinct from each other.  

One other secret is realizing how letters are pronounced in Italian. Listed below are some normal examples:

A is pronounced as a brief A, so ah. Instance: space is pronounced ah-reh-ah.

E is pronounced as a protracted A, so ay, and it’s by no means silent. Instance: carne (meat) is car-nay.

I is pronounced as a protracted E, so ee. Instance: ieri (yesterday) is ee-yehr-ree.

U is a tough vowel, often pronounced oo. Instance: uva (grape) is oo-vah.

Right here’s one other vital one: CH creates a Okay sound, as when utilized in two of my favourite phrases, chianti (key-ahn-tee) and bruschetta (broo-skeh-tuh).

The one factor near a silent letter mixture is GN, which is a kind of nyee sound for which there’s no actual equal in English. So Bologna is buh-lon-yah, gnocchi is nyo-key, and bagno, which implies bathtub or lavatory, is bah-nyoh.

Greetings and Goodbyes

Buongiorno (bwohn-jor-noh) has a number of meanings for one little phrase. It actually interprets to “good day,” however is an umbrella time period for saying hi there, particularly earlier than the afternoon, whenever you’d say buonasera (bwohn-ah sayr-ah) which implies good night. After all of the years I’ve lived right here, I’m nonetheless undecided when the cut-off level is between the 2 phrases, however I often say buonasera from about 3 or 4 p.m. 

When doubtful, you too can say salve (sal-vay), which is a proper hi there good for any time of day. As I shared in my article, unstated guidelines to observe whenever you go to Italy, ciao (chow) ought to solely be used as a salutation whenever you’re already on acquainted phrases with the individual.

On the finish of a night, say, whenever you’re leaving a restaurant, buonanotte (bwohn-ah noh-tay) is the way you say goodbye or good night time. Arrivederci (ah-ree-vah-dehr-chee) actually means “till we meet once more” and is a extra formal goodbye—a superb one to make use of whenever you try of your lodge, for instance. 

Primary Italian Phrases and Phrases for Vacationers

Si (see) means sure, and no (no) means no. Add a please: per favore (pehr fah-vohr-ey), thanks: grazie (graht-tzee-yey), and also you’re welcome: prego (prey-go), and also you’ll have some vital bases coated. Observe that prego has a number of connotations—it’s used when answering the telephone; your restaurant server could use the time period after serving your meals, and somebody holding open a door for chances are you’ll say it as a well mannered gesture.

To ask somebody in the event that they communicate English, say “parla inglese?” (par-lah een-gleh-zeh?).

To say “I don’t communicate Italian” (which they’ve in all probability already discovered), say “non parlo italiano” (nohn par-low ee-tah-lyah-noh).

There are a number of types of “excuse me.” Mi scusi (mee skoo-zee) is used when you have to interrupt or get somebody’s consideration. Permesso (pehr-mehs-soh) applies whenever you’re transferring by way of a crowd or must ask somebody to step out of your method. Say scusa (skooz-ah) in the event you bump them or step on their foot whereas doing so.

To ask the place one thing is, begin with: dov’è (doh-vey)…? 

• la stazione (lah stat-tzee-oh-neh): the station
• il bagno (eel bah-nyoh): the lavatory
• una farmacia (oo-nuh far-mah-chee-ah)?: a pharmacy 

To ask how a lot one thing prices, say: quanto costa (kwan-toh coh-sta)?

To ask for the examine at a restaurant, say: il conto, per favore (eel kon-toh pehr fah-vohr-ey).

Widespread Phrases to Know

• Quando (kwan-doh): When
• Oggi (oh-gee): In the present day
• Ieri (ee-yehr-ree): Yesterday
• Domani (doh-mah-nee): Tomorrow
• Colazione (coh-laht-tzee-ohn-ay): Breakfast
• Pranzo (prahn-zoh): Lunch
• Cena (chay-nah): Dinner
• Dolce (dohl-chay): Dessert

Numbers 1-10

• 1  uno (oo-noh)
• 2 due (doo-ay)
• 3  tre (tray)  
• 4 quattro (kwah-troh)
• 5 cinque (cheen-kway)
• 6  sei (say)
• 7 sette (set-tay)
• 8 otto (ott-oh)
• 9 nove (noh-vay)
• 10 dieci (dee-ay-chee)