Italian travel phrases

Essentials

• Yes

  Sì

  SEE

• No

  No

  NOH

• Please

  Per favore

  pehr fah-VOH-reh

• Thank you

  Grazie

  GRAHT-tsyeh

• Do you speak English?

  Parla inglese?

  PAHR-lah een-GLEH-seh?

  Formal

• I don't understand

  Non capisco

  nohn kah-PEES-koh

• Please speak slowly

  Può parlare più lentamente, per favore?

  pwoh pahr-LAH-reh pyoo lehn-tah-MEHN-teh, pehr fah-VOH-reh?

  Formal

• How much does it cost?

  Quanto costa?

  KWAHN-toh KOHS-tah?

• Where is the bathroom?

  Dov'è il bagno?

  doh-VEH eel BAH-nyoh?

  Signs may say "Toilette", "WC" or "Servizi igienici".

Greetings

• Hello

  Buongiorno

  bwohn-JOHR-noh

  Later in the day, say "Buonasera" (bwoh-nah-SEH-rah).

• Good morning

  Buongiorno

  bwohn-JOHR-noh

  Italians say it through the morning and into the early afternoon.

• Goodbye

  Arrivederci

  ahr-ree-veh-DEHR-chee

• How are you?

  Come sta?

  KOH-meh stah?

  Formal

• Nice to meet you

  Piacere

  pyah-CHEH-reh

  Literally: “Pleasure”

Courtesy

• Excuse me

  Scusi

  SKOO-see

  Formal

  To get past people in a crowd, say "Permesso" (pehr-MEHS-soh).

• I'm sorry

  Mi dispiace

  mee dees-PYAH-cheh

  For a quick apology, such as bumping into someone, say "Mi scusi" (mee SKOO-see).

• You're welcome.

  Prego.

  PREH-goh.

  You will also hear "Di niente" (dee NYEHN-teh).

• Cheers!

  Salute!

  sah-LOO-teh!

Restaurants

• A table for two, please.

  Un tavolo per due, per favore.

  oon TAH-voh-loh pehr DOO-eh, pehr fah-VOH-reh.

• Do you have a menu in English?

  Avete un menù in inglese?

  ah-VEH-teh oon meh-NOO een een-GLEH-seh?

• I'll have this, please.

  Prendo questo, per favore.

  PREHN-doh KWEHS-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh.

• Water, please

  Acqua, per favore

  AHK-kwah, pehr fah-VOH-reh

  Restaurants usually serve bottled water. For tap water, ask for "acqua del rubinetto" (AHK-kwah dehl roo-bee-NEHT-toh).

• The check, please

  Il conto, per favore

  eel KOHN-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh

  In Italy the bill usually comes only when you ask for it.

• Can I pay by card?

  Posso pagare con la carta?

  POHS-soh pah-GAH-reh kohn lah KAHR-tah?

  You may hear "bancomat" (BAHN-koh-maht), the everyday word for a debit card.

Directions

• How do I get to the station?

  Come si arriva alla stazione?

  KOH-meh see ahr-REE-vah AHL-lah staht-TSYOH-neh?

• Is it far from here?

  È lontano da qui?

  eh lohn-TAH-noh dah kwee?

• Can I walk there?

  Posso andarci a piedi?

  POHS-soh ahn-DAHR-chee ah PYEH-dee?

Getting Understood

• I only speak a little.

  Parlo solo un po' di italiano.

  PAHR-loh SOH-loh oon poh dee ee-tah-LYAH-noh.

• Could you say that again, please?

  Può ripetere, per favore?

  pwoh ree-PEH-teh-reh, pehr fah-VOH-reh?

  Formal

• Could you write it down, please?

  Può scriverlo, per favore?

  pwoh SKREE-vehr-loh, pehr fah-VOH-reh?

  Formal

Time & Opening Hours

• What time do you open?

  A che ora aprite?

  ah keh OH-rah ah-PREE-teh?

• What time do you close?

  A che ora chiudete?

  ah keh OH-rah kyoo-DEH-teh?

Transport & Tickets

• One ticket, please.

  Un biglietto, per favore.

  oon bee-LYEHT-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh.

• Which platform?

  Da che binario parte?

  dah keh bee-NAH-ryoh PAHR-teh?

• Does this go to the airport?

  Questo va all'aeroporto?

  KWEHS-toh vah ahl-lah-eh-roh-POHR-toh?

• Stop here, please.

  Si fermi qui, per favore.

  see FEHR-mee kwee, pehr fah-VOH-reh.

  Formal

  In a taxi, "Qui va bene, grazie" (kwee vah BEH-neh, GRAHT-tsyeh) also works.

Hotels & Lodging

• I have a reservation.

  Ho una prenotazione.

  oh OO-nah preh-noh-taht-TSYOH-neh.

  Add your name with "a nome…" (ah NOH-meh), as in "a nome Smith".

• What time is check-out?

  A che ora è il check-out?

  ah keh OH-rah eh eel chehk-OWT?

• Could I leave my bags here?

  Posso lasciare qui i bagagli?

  POHS-soh lah-SHAH-reh kwee ee bah-GAH-lyee?

Airport & Border

• I'm here on holiday.

  Sono qui in vacanza.

  SOH-noh kwee een vah-KAHN-tsah.

• Where is baggage claim?

  Dov'è il ritiro bagagli?

  doh-VEH eel ree-TEE-roh bah-GAH-lyee?

Shopping & Money

• I'm just looking, thank you.

  Sto solo guardando, grazie.

  stoh SOH-loh gwahr-DAHN-doh, GRAHT-tsyeh.

• That's too expensive.

  È troppo caro.

  eh TROHP-poh KAH-roh.

• Could I have a receipt, please?

  Posso avere lo scontrino, per favore?

  POHS-soh ah-VEH-reh loh skohn-TREE-noh, pehr fah-VOH-reh?

  At a hotel or in a taxi, ask for "la ricevuta" (lah ree-cheh-VOO-tah).

Wi-Fi & Phone

• Is there Wi-Fi here?

  C'è il Wi-Fi qui?

  cheh eel WAI-fai kwee?

• I'd like a SIM card with data.

  Vorrei una SIM con traffico dati.

  vohr-RAY OO-nah seem kohn TRAHF-fee-koh DAH-tee.

  Shops count data in "giga" (JEE-gah), meaning gigabytes.

Meeting People

• My name is…

  Mi chiamo…

  mee KYAH-moh…

  Literally: “I call myself…”

• Where are you from?

  Di dov'è?

  dee doh-VEH?

  Formal

What you'll hear

Questions and answers people are likely to say to you. You only need to recognize them.

• Passport, please.

  Passaporto, prego.

  pahs-sah-POHR-toh, PREH-goh.

• How long will you be staying?

  Quanto tempo si ferma?

  KWAHN-toh TEHM-poh see FEHR-mah?

  Formal

• For how many people?

  Per quante persone?

  pehr KWAHN-teh pehr-SOH-neh?

  You may also hear "Quanti siete?" (KWAHN-tee SYEH-teh).

• Are you ready to order?

  Ha scelto?

  ah SHEHL-toh?

  Formal

  To a group: "Avete scelto?" (ah-VEH-teh SHEHL-toh).

  Literally: “Have you chosen?”

• Cash or card?

  Contanti o carta?

  kohn-TAHN-tee oh KAHR-tah?

• Go straight ahead.

  Vada sempre dritto.

  VAH-dah SEHM-preh DREET-toh.

  Formal

• Turn left.

  Giri a sinistra.

  JEE-ree ah see-NEES-trah.

  Formal

• Turn right.

  Giri a destra.

  JEE-ree ah DEHS-trah.

  Formal