What if you’ve just If you’ve just landed in Italy and you don’t know a single word of Italian?
Of course relying on a machine translation tool like google translate, although they don’t always provide good translations, can help you solve the problem.
However, you’ll soon discover that Italians really appreciate when you try to do some efforts and communicate with them directly using Italian. Moreover, trying to speak Italian can be funny!
So, today I’ve made a list of some of the most basic Italian sentences you should know before you arrive in Italy.
The Basics
Let’s start from the very basic stuff, that’s to say those basic Italian sentences that you should know if you don’t want to sound rude.
1. Buongiorno / Buonasera – These words mean “good morning” and “good evening,” respectively. They are used as a greeting when you enter a store or restaurant, or when you meet someone for the first time.
2. Grazie – This word means “thank you”. It’s polite to say thank you after receiving something or when someone does something nice for you.
3. Prego – This word means “you’re welcome” and is used as a response to thank you.
4. Scusa / Scusi – These words mean “excuse me/sorry” and are used to get someone’s attention or to apologize. Scusa is the informal version, while Scusi is more formal and should be used when speaking to someone you don’t know, someone older or in a professional setting.
5. Mi chiamo… – This phrase means “my name is…” and is useful when introducing yourself to someone.
6. Mi dispiace, non capisco – This phrase means “Sorry, I don’t understand” and can be used when you don’t understand what someone is saying.
7. Mi dispiace – This phrase means “I’m sorry” and can be used to apologize for a mistake or to express sympathy.
Going around
Let’s see now some basic Italian sentences that can be useful while you’re staying in Italy. I’ll keep it super simple.
8. Parla inglese? – This phrase means “do you speak English?” If you don’t feel comfortable speaking Italian, this simple question can definitely save you.
9. Posso avere un menu, per favore? – This phrase means “can I have a menu, please?” It’s useful when you’re in a restaurant and want to order food. It’s always better to ask for a menu, even if you already know what you want, especially to check the prices.
10. Quanto costa? – This phrase means “how much does it cost?” It’s useful when you’re shopping or want to know the price of something.
11. Dove si trova…? – This phrase means “where is…?” and can be used to ask for directions to a specific place. Do you think you need to rent a car in Italy? Have a look at Renting a car in Italy – Useful sentences to learn some vocabulary.
12. Un biglietto, per favore – If you plan to visit museums or take public transports, this sentence can be useful. It means “A ticket, please”.
13. Aiuto – If something bad happens and you need help this is the key word you should use. In fact, aiuto means “help”.
14. Mi hanno rubato…; ho perso…– These two expressions mean “My…was stolen; I lost my…” but I hope you’ll never have the chance to use them.
15. Non mi sento bene – This sentence means “I don’t feel well” and it’s the first thing you can say to let someone know that you’re not ok. If you want to learn more expressions about emergencies in Italy, have a look at At an Italian doctor’s office.
Learning these basic Italian sentences is just a start. In addition to these useful Italian sentences, it’s also important to learn some basic Italian vocabulary. For example, knowing the names of common foods and drinks can be useful when ordering in a restaurant. Learning numbers and basic math can be useful when shopping or exchanging money. And knowing the names of common landmarks or transportation can be useful when navigating your way around the country.
One of the best ways to learn Italian is to immerse yourself in the language and culture, of course. However, if you want to start learning Italian before you go to Italy, you can use famous apps like Duolingo, it’s cheaper but it usually takes much more time or you can send me a message and have some lessons with me, more expensive but faster if you’re willing to learn and commit yourself.
If you’re interested in more sentences like these, have a look at Basic Italian sentences.
What are in your opinion the most useful sentences when you’re in Italy?
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Credits
Original image by LN_Photoart
The charming town of Alberobello in Italy
