FREE PHRASEBOOK · WITH AUDIO
Italian for your trip
The phrases you’ll actually use
7 real-life situations · 60+ phrases and dialogues, in my voice · Little cultural secrets along the way
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How to use this phrasebook
Seven situations, seven short lessons. Choose one, listen to every phrase, say it out loud, then read the dialogues as if you were there. Tomorrow, try another one.
And when you’re in Italy, keep this page on your phone: it’s ready when you need it. Press ▶ under each phrase to hear me say it.
PREFER PAPER?
Here’s the printable version. Keep it in your bag, and when you want to hear a phrase, scan the QR code: it brings you straight back to this page.
THE 10 PHRASES YOU NEED MOST
If you only learn ten, learn these.
1 Buongiorno! / Buonasera! · Hello (polite)
2 Permesso? · May I come in?
3 Al banco o al tavolo? · At the counter or at a table?
4 Offro io! · It’s on me!
5 Il conto, per favore. · The bill, please.
6 Basta così, grazie. · That’s all, thanks.
7 Scusi, dov’è…? · Excuse me, where is…?
8 Buon appetito! · Enjoy your meal!
9 Non ho capito. · I didn’t understand.
10 Sto imparando l’italiano. · I’m learning Italian.
SITUATION 1 · 6 phrases · 2 dialogues
Walking in · Entrare
Shops, cafés, offices, someone’s home
In Italy, walking into a small space is a little social moment: you usually greet whoever is there, even in a shop where you know no one.
Buongiorno! / Buonasera!
bwon-JOR-no · bwo-na-SE-ra
Hello (polite)
Buongiorno in the morning, buonasera later on. There’s no fixed time to switch, and people disagree!
Salve!
SAL-ve
Hello
Neutral: not too formal, not too friendly. Works any time of day.
Permesso?
per-MES-so
May I come in?
At the door of a home or an office.
Posso?
POS-so
May I?
Point at a chair, a magazine, a product. One word does it all.
Sto solo guardando, grazie.
sto SO-lo gwar-DAN-do
I’m just looking, thanks.
Arrivederci! Buona giornata!
ar-ri-ve-DER-chi · BWO-na jor-NA-ta
Goodbye! Have a nice day!
Saying goodbye on the way out matters as much as the hello.
IN A SMALL SHOP
You Buongiorno!
Shop owner Buongiorno, prego!
Hello, how can I help?
You Sto solo guardando, grazie.
Shop owner Prego, prego!
Please, go ahead!
AT A FRIEND’S HOME
You Permesso?
Your friend Avanti, avanti! Entra!
Come in, come in!
You Grazie!
CURIOSITÀ LINGUISTICA
Salve is Latin: it comes from salvē, “be well”. The Romans already used it to say hello.
CURIOSITÀ CULTURALE
Guests say “Permesso?” at the door even when they’ve been invited. The host answers “Avanti!” (come in!) or “Prego!”.
SITUATION 2 · 7 phrases · 2 dialogues
At the café · Al bar
Coffee, a quick snack, a chat
An Italian bar is not a pub: it’s where people stop for a coffee, often standing at the counter, from early in the morning.
Un caffè, per favore.
kaf-FE · per fa-VO-re
An espresso, please.
In Italy “un caffè” is an espresso. For a long coffee, ask for “un caffè americano”.
Al banco o al tavolo?
al BAN-ko · al TA-vo-lo
At the counter or at a table?
The barista may ask you. At the counter it’s quicker and cheaper.
Pago adesso o dopo?
PA-go a-DES-so · DO-po
Do I pay now or later?
Every bar does it its own way: when in doubt, just ask.
Ecco lo scontrino.
EK-ko lo skon-TRI-no
Here’s the receipt.
In busy bars you pay first, then give the receipt to the barista.
Quant’è?
kwan-TE
How much is it?
Cosa prendi?
KO-za PREN-di
What are you having?
With friends. With people you don’t know: “Cosa prende?”
Offro io!
OF-fro I-o
It’s on me!
AT THE COUNTER
You Buongiorno! Un caffè, per favore.
Cashier Al banco o al tavolo?
At the counter or at a table?
You Al banco.
Cashier Ecco lo scontrino.
Here’s your receipt.
You Un caffè, per favore.
(to the barista, showing the receipt)
Barista Ecco a lei!
Here you are!
WITH AN ITALIAN FRIEND
Friend Cosa prendi?
What are you having?
You Un caffè. E tu?
Friend Anch’io. Offro io!
Me too. It’s on me!
You No, dai, offro io!
Friend Ma figurati! La prossima volta offri tu.
Don’t be silly! You’ll pay next time.
You Va bene, grazie!
CURIOSITÀ LINGUISTICA
Italians don’t say “I’ll pay for you”: they say “Offro io”, I offer. Between friends there’s often a little friendly fight to pay, and it usually ends with “La prossima volta offri tu”.
CURIOSITÀ CULTURALE
The same coffee can cost more if you sit down, sometimes double: at a table you pay for the service too. Bars must display their prices, so you can check before you sit. At the table you usually pay at the end; at the counter, often first, at the cash desk.
SITUATION 3 · 6 phrases · 2 dialogues
Eating out · A tavola
Restaurants, trattorias, pizzerias
At an Italian restaurant nobody rushes you: the table is yours for the whole evening.
Un tavolo per due, per favore.
un TA-vo-lo per DU-e · per fa-VO-re
A table for two, please.
Often the waiter asks first: “Quanti siete?”, how many are you?
Per me…
per ME
For me…
The easiest way to order: “Per me le tagliatelle.”
Cosa ci consiglia?
KO-za chi kon-SI-lya
What do you recommend?
Waiters like this question. Good for the dish of the day.
Ancora un po’ d’acqua, per favore.
an-KO-ra un PO DAK-kwa
A little more water, please.
Water isn’t free: you order a bottle, “naturale” (still) or “frizzante” (sparkling).
Il conto, per favore.
il KON-to
The bill, please.
Possiamo pagare separatamente?
pos-SYA-mo pa-GA-re se-pa-ra-ta-MEN-te
Can we pay separately?
ORDERING
Waiter Buonasera! Quanti siete?
Good evening! How many are you?
You Siamo in due.
There are two of us.
Waiter Prego, da questa parte.
This way, please.
Waiter Cosa prendete?
What will you have?
You Cosa ci consiglia?
Waiter Le tagliatelle al ragù sono molto buone.
The tagliatelle with ragù are very good.
You Allora per me le tagliatelle.
Then the tagliatelle for me.
Your friend Anche per me.
Me too.
Waiter Da bere?
Something to drink?
You Acqua naturale, per favore.
AT THE END
You Scusi! Il conto, per favore.
Waiter Subito!
Right away!
You Possiamo pagare separatamente?
Waiter Certo.
Of course.
CURIOSITÀ LINGUISTICA
“Facciamo alla romana!” means “let’s split the bill equally”. Some people use it to mean “everyone pays for what they had”: Italians don’t always agree!
CURIOSITÀ CULTURALE
The waiter won’t bring the bill until you ask for it: it’s not bad service, it’s good manners. On the bill you’ll often see the coperto, a small charge per person: it has to be written on the menu.
SITUATION 4 · 8 phrases · 2 dialogues
Shopping · Al mercato e nei negozi
Markets, delis, small shops
At the market you buy by weight and by the piece, and the seller is happy to help you choose.
Quanto costa?
KWAN-to KO-sta
How much is it?
Un etto di prosciutto, per favore.
un ET-to di pro-SHUT-to
A hundred grams of ham, please.
Ham, salami and cheese are sold by the “etto”.
Mezzo chilo di pomodori.
MED-dzo KI-lo di po-mo-DO-ri
Half a kilo of tomatoes.
Posso assaggiare?
POS-so as-sad-JA-re
Can I taste it?
At the cheese or salami counter, people often ask.
Altro?
AL-tro
Anything else?
The seller’s favourite word.
Basta così, grazie.
BA-sta ko-ZI
That’s all, thanks.
Lo prendo.
lo PREN-do
I’ll take it.
The same verb as at the café: “prendere” works for buying, eating and drinking.
Posso pagare con la carta?
POS-so pa-GA-re kon la KAR-ta
Can I pay by card?
AT THE MARKET STALL
Seller Buongiorno! Dica!
Good morning! What can I get you?
You Mezzo chilo di pomodori, per favore.
Seller Questi?
These ones?
You Sì, grazie.
Seller Altro?
You Basta così. Quant’è?
Seller Due euro.
Two euros.
You Ecco. Grazie!
Here you are. Thanks!
AT THE DELI COUNTER
You Un etto di prosciutto, per favore.
Seller Crudo o cotto?
Cured or cooked?
You Crudo. Posso assaggiare il formaggio?
Seller Certo!
Of course!
You Buono! Lo prendo. Posso pagare con la carta?
Seller Sì, certo.
CURIOSITÀ LINGUISTICA
Etto comes from ettogrammo, 100 grams. Italians rarely say “200 grammi”: they say “due etti”.
CURIOSITÀ CULTURALE
At a market stall, you usually don’t touch the fruit and vegetables: you say what you want and the seller picks it for you. At the supermarket you choose yourself, but with the plastic gloves you find next to the scales.
SITUATION 5 · 8 phrases · 2 dialogues
Getting around · In giro
Streets, buses, trains
Italian city centres are small: you walk a lot, and take a bus or a train to go further.
Scusi, dov’è…?
SKU-zi · do-VE
Excuse me, where is…?
“Scusi” with people you don’t know, “Scusa” with friends.
È lontano?
E lon-TA-no
Is it far?
Dove si compra il biglietto?
DO-ve si KOM-pra il bi-LYET-to
Where can I buy a ticket?
Un biglietto per Firenze, per favore.
un bi-LYET-to per fi-REN-tse
A ticket to Florence, please.
Da che binario parte?
da ke bi-NA-ryo PAR-te
Which platform does it leave from?
Questo autobus va in centro?
KWE-sto AU-to-bus va in CHEN-tro
Does this bus go to the centre?
A che fermata devo scendere?
a ke fer-MA-ta DE-vo SHEN-de-re
Which stop do I get off at?
Devo convalidare il biglietto?
DE-vo kon-va-li-DA-re
Do I need to validate the ticket?
BUYING A BUS TICKET
You Scusi, dove si compra il biglietto?
Passer-by Dal tabaccaio, lì a destra.
At the tobacconist’s, there on the right.
You Buongiorno! Due biglietti per l’autobus, per favore.
Tobacconist Ecco a lei.
Here you are.
ON THE BUS
You Scusi, questo autobus va in centro?
Passenger Sì, sì.
Yes, it does.
You A che fermata devo scendere per il Duomo?
Which stop for the cathedral?
Passenger Alla terza.
The third one.
You Grazie mille!
CURIOSITÀ LINGUISTICA
Binario means “two by two”, from Latin: a railway track is made of two rails. In Italian stations you look for your binario, not your platform.
CURIOSITÀ CULTURALE
In many cities bus tickets aren’t sold on the bus: you buy them at the tabaccheria, the shop with a big T sign, or at a newsstand. Paper tickets must be validated in the little machine when you get on, or you can be fined even if you paid.
SITUATION 6 · 8 phrases · 2 dialogues
At an Italian home · Ospite di italiani
Lunch or dinner with friends
Being invited to someone’s home is one of the best ways to see real Italy. A few words make you the perfect guest.
Posso portare qualcosa?
POS-so por-TA-re KWAL-ko-za
Can I bring something?
The answer will almost certainly be “No, tranquillo, non portare niente!”, don’t worry, don’t bring anything!
Grazie dell’invito!
GRA-tsye del-lin-VI-to
Thanks for inviting me!
Ho portato un dolce.
o por-TA-to un DOL-che
I brought a dessert.
The answer is almost always “Ma no, non dovevi!”, you shouldn’t have!
Buon appetito!
bwon ap-pe-TI-to
Enjoy your meal!
Said before starting. The answer: “Grazie, altrettanto!”, you too!
Buonissimo!
bwo-NIS-si-mo
Delicious!
The best compliment for the cook.
Ancora un po’?
an-KO-ra un PO
A little more?
You’ll hear this one a lot.
No, grazie, sono pieno / piena.
SO-no PYE-no · PYE-na
No, thanks, I’m full.
“Pieno” if you’re a man, “piena” if you’re a woman.
Posso aiutare?
POS-so a-yu-TA-re
Can I help?
Offer to help clear the table: the host will probably say no, but they’ll appreciate it.
ARRIVING
Host Ciao! Entra, entra!
Hi! Come in, come in!
You Ciao! Grazie dell’invito. Ho portato un dolce.
Host Ma no, non dovevi! Grazie!
Oh, you shouldn’t have! Thank you!
AT DINNER
Host Buon appetito!
You Grazie, altrettanto!
You Buonissimo!
Host Ancora un po’?
You No, grazie, sono pieno.
Host Dai, solo un po’!
Come on, just a little!
You Va bene, solo un po’!
OK, just a little!
CURIOSITÀ LINGUISTICA
Fare la scarpetta, “to make the little shoe”, means wiping the sauce from your plate with a piece of bread. At home it’s a compliment to the cook; in an elegant restaurant, better not.
CURIOSITÀ CULTURALE
When you ask “Posso portare qualcosa?”, your host will say no. Bring something anyway: a bottle of wine, a dessert, or, for Sunday lunch, a tray of paste, small pastries from the local pasticceria, wrapped in paper with a ribbon. It’s always welcome.
SITUATION 7 · 6 phrases · 2 dialogues
When you don’t understand · Quando non capisci
Because it will happen, and that’s fine
Italians speak fast, but they’re patient with people who try. These phrases keep the conversation going.
Non ho capito.
non o ka-PI-to
I didn’t understand.
Può ripetere più piano, per favore?
PWO ri-PE-te-re PYU PYA-no
Can you say it again more slowly, please?
Cosa vuol dire…?
KO-za vwol DI-re
What does … mean?
Come si dice…?
KO-me si DI-che
How do you say…?
Point at something: “Come si dice questo?”
Può scriverlo?
PWO SKRI-ver-lo
Can you write it down?
Very useful for addresses, times and prices.
Sto imparando l’italiano.
sto im-pa-RAN-do li-ta-LYA-no
I’m learning Italian.
If someone switches to English, add: “Possiamo parlare in italiano?”, can we speak Italian? Most people are happy to.
TOO FAST!
Clerk Il treno delle tre è soppresso, deve prendere quello delle tre e mezza dal binario sei.
You Scusi, non ho capito. Può ripetere più piano, per favore?
Clerk Certo! Il treno delle tre è soppresso.
Of course! The three o’clock train is soppresso.
You Cosa vuol dire “soppresso”?
Clerk Cancellato. Non parte.
Cancelled. It doesn’t leave.
You Ah! Grazie.
LET’S SPEAK ITALIAN
Clerk Hello! Where are you going?
You Sto imparando l’italiano. Possiamo parlare in italiano?
Clerk Certo! Brava! Dove va?
Of course! Well done! Where are you going?
CURIOSITÀ LINGUISTICA
To ask someone to repeat, Italians say “Come?” or “Come, scusi?”, or, more politely, “Prego?”. So prego doesn’t only mean “you’re welcome”: it also means “please, go ahead” and “sorry, what did you say?”.
CURIOSITÀ CULTURALE
Two little words you’ll hear everywhere. Boh: “I don’t know, who knows”, often with a shrug. Dai: “come on!”, to insist, to encourage, or when you can’t believe something. You’ve already heard it twice in this phrasebook!
FREE LIVE LESSON
Want to practise these phrases with me, live?
I’m planning a free online lesson for travellers in late November. We’ll say the phrases together, I’ll answer your questions in the chat, and if you can’t join live, you’ll get the recording.
Keep an eye on your inbox: the invite is coming soon.
