Learn Essential Italian Phrases for Your Italian Journey
Essential Italian phrases every traveler should know!
Here are essential Italian tourist phrases for travelers, grouped by common travel needs:
Greetings and Polite Phrases
- Ciao (CHOW) – Hello/Goodbye (informal)
- Salve (SAL-veh) – Hello/Bye (formal)
- Buongiorno (bwohn-JOHR-noh) – Good morning
- Buona sera (bwoh-nah SEH-rah) – Good evening
- Per favore (pehr fah-VOH-reh) – Please
- Grazie (GRAHT-see-eh) – Thank you
- Mi scusi (mee SKOO-zee) – Excuse me (to get attention or apologize)
- Mi dispiace (mee dees-PYA-cheh) – I’m sorry
Basic Questions
- Parla inglese? (PAR-lah een-GLEH-zeh) – Do you speak English?
- Dove? / Dov’è? (DOH-veh / doh-VEH) – Where? / Where is…?
- Quanto costa? (KWAHN-toh KOH-stah) – How much does it cost?
- Che ora è? (keh OH-rah eh) – What time is it?
- Quando? (KWAHN-doh) – When?
Directions and Transportation
- Gira a sinistra/destra (JEE-rah ah see-NEES-trah / DEHS-trah) – Turn left/right
- Dritto (DREET-toh) – Straight ahead
- Il treno (eel TREH-noh) – Train
- La stazione ferroviaria (lah stah-TSYO-neh feh-rroh-vyah-REE-ah) – Train station
- Mi serve un taxi (mee SEHR-veh oon TAK-see) – I need a taxi
Emergencies and Help
- Aiuto! (ah-YOO-toh) – Help!
- L’ospedale (lohs-peh-DAH-leh) – Hospital
- La farmacia (lah far-MAH-chee-ah) – Pharmacy
- La polizia (lah poh-LEE-tzee-ah) – Police
Useful Everyday Phrases
- Non capisco (non kah-PEE-skoh) – I don’t understand
- Piano, per favore (pee-AH-noh, pehr fah-VOH-reh) – Slower, please
- Mi sono perso/pera (mee SOH-noh PEHR-soh/ah) – I am lost
- Il bagno (eel BAH-nyoh) – Bathroom
Polite Requests/Needs
- Vorrei… (vor-REY) – I would like…
- Posso avere…? (POS-soh ah-VEH-reh) – Can I have…?
- Ho bisogno di… (oh bee-SOH-nyoh dee) – I need…
These phrases with pronunciation hints can be very helpful for navigating, shopping, dining, and seeking assistance in Italy as a traveler.