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

In most huge cities and closely touristed areas in Italy, resort and restaurant workers, shopkeepers, and museum attendants will virtually definitely converse no less than some English. However enterprise to smaller cities and out-of-the-way locations, and also you’re much less more likely to be understood while you ask a query in English. And wherever you go in Italy, attempting to talk no less than some Italian with the individuals you encounter is a typical courtesy and is normally very a lot appreciated. 

“Italians will show you how to while you attempt to converse Italian,” a professor in Rome as soon as advised me, “as a result of they’re so grateful when anybody tries to be taught their loopy language.”

As my professor mentioned, Italians will likely be affected person with you while you attempt to converse—and doubtlessly mangle—their language. Listed here are some tips, 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, probably the most ubiquitous Italian phrase, grazie, is just not pronounced grat-zee, however graht-tzee-yey—with three syllables, with the i and the e distinct from each other.  

One other key’s understanding how letters are pronounced in Italian. Listed here are some basic examples:

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

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

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

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

Right here’s one other essential one: CH creates a Ok 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 form 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 whole lot of meanings for one little phrase. It actually interprets to “good day,” however is an umbrella time period for saying hey, particularly earlier than the afternoon, while 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 normally say buonasera from about 3 or 4 p.m. 

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

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

Fundamental 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 essential bases lined. Notice 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 it’s possible you’ll say it as a well mannered gesture.

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

To say “I don’t converse Italian” (which they’ve most likely 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 must interrupt or get somebody’s consideration. Permesso (pehr-mehs-soh) applies while you’re transferring by a crowd or must ask somebody to step out of your approach. Say scusa (skooz-ah) in case 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 toilet
• 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 test at a restaurant, say: il conto, per favore (eel kon-toh pehr fah-vohr-ey).

Frequent Phrases to Know

• Quando (kwan-doh): When
• Oggi (oh-gee): At this time
• 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)