Words and Phrases to Know for Your First Trip to Italy - 7/12/2025

Many thousands of people from all over the world visit Italy every day. You can do this without speaking a single word of Italian.

So, you're going to Italy!
If nothing else, here is a short list of words and phrases which will be very helpful. Please note: When interacting with strangers, Italians are very formal and polite as a general rule, and expect the same. Even if you learn little or no Italian, find ways to be polite and respectful, and you will enjoy interacting with Italians 100 times more. Don't be an ugly American.

  • Per favore - Please - "pair fah-vorrr-ay"
  • Grazie - Thank you - "Grah-t-sea-ay"
  • Prego - You're welcome - "Pray-go"
  • Mi scuzi - Excuse me (polite) - "Me scoo-zee"
  • Permesso - May I pass - "Pair-mess-oh" 
  • Non parlo italiano - I don't speak Italian -"Known par-loh Ee-tally-an-oh"
  • Parla inglese? - Do you speak English? - "Par-la een-glaze-ay"
  • Quanto costa? - How much does it cost? - "Kwahn-toe coast-ah"
  • Dove il bagno? - Where is the bathroom? - Doh-vay eel ban-yo"
  • Buon giorno. - Good morning/good day - "Bw-own gee-or-no"
  • Buona Giornata. - Have a good day - "Bw-own-uh Gee-or-not-uh"
  • Buon pomeriggio. - Good afternoon - "Bw-own poh-mare-ee-gee-oh"
  • Buona sera. - Good evening - "Bw-own-uh sair-uh"
  • Buona serata. Have a nice evening - "Bw-own-uh sair-ah-tuh"
  • Signore - Sir or mister - "Seen-yore-ay"
  • Signora - Ma'am or madam - "Seen-yore-uh"
  • Salve - Hello (formal) - "Sal-vay" 
  • Ciao - Hello or hi (informal) - "Chee-ow" 

And here is a bare minimum, and I do mean bare minimum, primer on pronunciation. Italians, when speaking Italian, pronounce every vowel. You may see that above, in "giorno" for example, they pronounce "Gee-or-noh". Following is the pronunciation of each of the 5 vowels. As a bonus, two consonant combinations we Americans may find difficult. They do take work.

  • A - pronounced "ah"
  • E - pronounced "ay"
  • I - pronounced "ee"
  • O - pronounced "oh"
  • U - pronounced "ooh"
  • gn - "nn-yuh" (It's one, short sound, think lasagna, "luh-za-nn-yuh". Also, see bagno, in above list of words and phrases.)
  • gl - "gl-yuh" (Again, it's one, short sound. This one is hard for us, we have no real equivalent.)


 

 

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