The 50 Must- Know words when traveling in Italy By Scott Soptick
Good day! Boungiorno (Good Day) turns to Buonasera (Good Evening) in the late afternoon
No capisco If you dont understand something, just say!
Do you speak English? Parla inglese? ( par -lah een- glay -zay) This is a question youll find yourself asking frequently- when youre in a hurry and just need a piece of information.
Remember Manners! Per favore = Please Grazie = Thank you Prego = Youre welcome Mi dispiace (dee-spee ah -chay) = Im sorry Mi scusi = Excuse me
I would like____ Vorrei… This is a more polite way of saying I need…
Che ore sono? Italian for, What time is it? This is an important question to ask if you are trying to catch a train, plane, or bus!
Numbers count! One = Uno ( oo -noh) Two = Due ( doo -ay) Three = Tre (tray) Four = Quattro ( kwah -troh) Five = Cinque ( cheeng -kway) Six = Sei ( seh ee) Seven = Sette ( seht -tay) Eight = Otto ( oh -toh)
What Direction? Nord Sud Ovest (west) Est (east)
Days of the week Monday = lunedi Tuesday = martedi Wednesday = mercoledi Thursday = giovedi Friday = venerdi Saturday = sabato Sunday = domenica
When does this open / close? A che ora apre / chuide? In Italy, places are open at odd times and only remain open for 5-6 hours per day.
A ticket un biglietto (oon beel- yay -toh) In Italy, it is likely that you will ride many trains and busses, so buying tickets will happen often.
Enough! Basta! Italians will continue to feed you until you tell them youve had enough! So when youre full, just say basta
I like that! Mi piace! (mee pee ah -chay) Italians take great pride in their food and drink. So if you like something, just tell them Mi piace!
How much is it? Quanto costa? Italy is an expensive country, so youll want to know how much youre spending on something before you buy it!
The bill, please il conto, por favore Eating out in Italy is a great experience, but can be expensive. When youve ordered enough food, politely ask for il conto
Where is the restroom? Dove la toilette? (doh- veh lah twah- leht -tay) Restrooms are not as large or accessible in Italy as they are in the U.S., so get used to asking this question.
Bless you! Salute! This is a fun word to say when someone sneezes!
Which terminal? Quale terminal? If you plan to travel throughout Europe, youll have the chance to see many airports, but seeing so many new airports can be confusing.
Arrival & Departure Arrivo & Partenza These are very common words in airports, train stations, and bus stops.
Introduce Yourself! My Name is ____. = Mi chiamo _____. Dont be a stranger in Italy…The people are very friendly!