Travel Italy – Common Italian Phrases

Common Italian greetings

Buongiorno: Good morning. Usually said until 4pm.
Buona sera: Good evening. Usually said after 4pm.
Buona notte: Good night. Only used to say goodbye, it is usually said before parting ways after 10pm, or before going to sleep.
Ciao: Hello or goodbye. A very informal greeting.
Salve: A way to say hello, used especially in Rome (it’s Latin!) and, in formality, in between “ciao” and “buongiorno.”
Arrivederci: A formal way to say goodbye. Literally means “until we see each other again.”

Other common Italian phrases

Per favore: Please
Grazie: Thank you. You may also hear “grazie mille” (literally “a thousand thanks”) to mean many thanks.
Prego: You’re welcome
Mi chiamo…: My name is… You may also say “Sono….”
Non parlo italiano: I don’t speak Italian
Parla inglese?: Do you speak English? This is the formal version, but you can also ask parli inglese? if you’d like to be informal.
Sì: Yes. Other popular affirmations: va bene (fine), okay.
No: No
Dove: Where. You may ask “Dov’è (street or landmark)…?” for directions.
Chi: Who
Quando: When
Cosa: What
Perché: Why

Helpful words for getting around Italy

Metropolitana: Subway
Treno: Train
Macchina: Car. Also known as auto
Autobus: Bus. A coach bus is sometimes referred to as pullman
Aeroporto: Airport
Taxi: Taxi
Ristorante: Restaurant
Albergo: Hotel
Banca: Bank. Be sure to ask for a bancomat if you’re looking for an ATM
Aiuto!: Help!
Dov’è il bagno?: Where is the bathroom?
Quanto costa?: How much does it cost?
Che ore sono?: What time is it?
Destra (right), sinistra (left), dritto (straight)
Vicino (close), lontano (far)

Other popular Italian phrases

Allora: Perhaps one of the most popular Italian words, allora is a great way to transition between sentences. It can also be used to start a sentence or question like “so…”, “well…” or “therefore…” and as a reference to a time in the past.
Dai: This exclamation is short, but packs a lot of meaning. Can be used for exclamations like “come on!” or disbelief, like “really?!”.
Bello: Literally means “beautiful”, but can also be used to say something is nice, like a dress for example. Bello (for males) and bella (for females) is commonly used as a salutation between friends and acquaintances.
Buon appetito: Enjoy your meal. Almost always said when a meal is served.
Buon viaggio: Have a nice trip

Walks of Italy

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