Italian for Travelers: Essential Phrases to Know Before You Go
One night, while I was out and about in Florence, an American student asked me if I spoke Italian. I answered truthfully. I can understand more than I add to the conversation, but I tend to put on that I know a lot less than I do. “So you do know Italian! What are the MOST important phrases in Italian I need to know!?”
So, being the good samaritan I am, I rambled off my most used phrases in Italian. Covering the groundwork of the best Italian phrases to know if you are traveling to this amazing country. Obviously hello, thank you, ordering in a restaurant, and help! There are always some essentials.
“Wow! You sound so fluent. I would never know you weren’t Italian. Why do you act like you don’t know any then?”
It takes a LOT to become “fluent” in a language. I just told her I used my knowledge to eavesdrop and concurreny lack there-of avoid talking to the taxi driver at 5 am on the way to the airport on a night after one too many glasses of wine..
By no means do I consider myself fluent in Italian, but I did manage to get along when I lived in Florence. I’ve even had a few Italians not realize I was not Italian until there was a certain word I didn’t understand. It’s always a good feeling when an Italian asks you for directions on how to get to Zara or a restaurant. (I particularly remember getting hung up on the Italian word for “initials” a few years ago, giving myself away.)
This is the list of what I think are the most important phrases in Italian for travelers on any upcoming adventure. Make sure you are prepped and ready to travel in Italy!
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“A che ora?”- At what time?
Useful for planes, trains, busses, taxi services, and any other meeting time. If you learned Spanish in grade school, the numbers are fairly similar, so you shouldn’t have too difficult translating the response. But to freshen you up on your Italian:
- Uno
- Due
- Tre
- Quattro
- Cinque
- Sei
- Sette
- Otto
- Nove
- Dieci
“Dov’é il bagno?”- Where is the bathroom?
The most important phrase in Italian to know…ya know…so you don’t pee yourself. I’ve thought long and hard about the fated question: “Dov’é?” – “Where?”. Mostly because if you ask this in Italian, then you’re going to get a response in Italian, which requires you to know directions in Italian. Let me just say that any time I have ever asked an Italian for directions, I’ve been more lost than had I just searched on my own.
When you ask for the bathroom, the only response needed is a point and maybe a few words. However, it isn’t particularly important to get all of the words if you can get the gist of where the restroom is from gestures.
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“Posso avere….?”- Can I have…?
“Posso avere un litro di vino rosso della casa?” Can I have a liter of red house wine?
“Posso avere le chiave per il bagno?” Can I have the keys for the restroom?
“Posso avere un po’ di piú?” Can I have a little bit more?
The list goes on. This is a very useful phrase in Italian to know when in restaurants, bars, or anywhere with customer service.
“Sonno qui con/per”….- I am here for/with…
If you are going to an event and trying to find your group, you might need to address yourself to a host. If they don’t speak English, the best way to tell them is I am here with…or I am here for…and then name the group or event. Usually, at that point, they can just lead you to where you need to go.
Buongiorno Vs. Buona Sera Vs. Buona Notte
Buongiorno! Goodmorning
Buona Sera- Good Afternoon/Good Evening
Buona Notte– Good Night
Please do not walk into a cafe, restaurant, gelateria, or whatever in the afternoon and say buongiorno. This means good morning. After 1 pm you should say buona sera, and the only time you say buona notte is when parting for the evening or to go to bed.
Aiuto
Help! You never know when you’re going to be in need of assistance. From a pickpocket, the hotel staff, or whoever might just be in earshot of your pleas for help. Pronounced eye-you-toe, with the emphasis on the you.
Grazie
Most people know this word, and most people not Italian don’t know how it’s spoken. Grazie is pronounced graht-zee-ay NOT graht-zee. (In Italian, every vowel in the word is pronounced)
Also note, if someone has done something very kind to you, you can say Grazie Mille! Thanks a thousand! (graht-zee-ay mee-lay), but this isn’t usually something you go around saying to your grocery store clerk.
Ciao!
Again, most people know these words, but they don’t know how to spell them: chou, chau, chiou, and my personal favorite, chow.
Other things to note.
- Italians appreciate it when you make an effort to use different phrases in Italian. Don’t be discouraged if they hear your accent and start speaking in English. It’s easier for everyone!
- In Italian, the letter combination ch- makes a “K” sound
- Buongiorno, buona sera, buona notte and arrivederci are more formal greetings and phrases. If you are going to dinner at a nicer place, are at the post office, or do anything involving school or legal matters, these should be used. Ciao is more informal and generally used around friends and in social situations. Some cafés, pasticerias, and gelaterias will use them, but if you’re unsure, it’s best to go with the formal version.
- Panini is plural, panino is singular. If you tell someone you ate a panini, this is incorrect. You can eat multiple panini, but only one panino. Please do not say, “let’s go get some paninis.” (Hint: almost nothing in Italian ends in a consonant.)
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