Mastering some Italian when you travel to Italy is recommended, even if you are only staying in the most tourist-friendly cities. In fact, even in places like Rome and Florence, although you can always find workers in historic centres who speak some basic English, you may also meet someone who isn’t very confident in languages other than Italian.
Here are some essential phrases and expressions that will help you get by pretty much everywhere in Italy, including where English is seldom spoken.
Of course, to get by comfortably in non-touristy regions or even in less touristy areas of popular cities, these sentences are hardly enough. Along with being able to ask a question, make a request or communicate something, you will also need to understand the answer; otherwise it’s a monologue and hardly useful!
For this, mastering a larger glossary and possessing a wider range of phrases and expressions is crucial. I’m about to launch a full Italian language course for tourists in Italy, a sort of survival guide for travellers, if you like!
10 essential expressions for tourists to get by in Italy
Greetings
Greetings are always something you should start your conversation with. Whether you enter a museum, a restaurant, or your hotel reception, beginning with greetings is appreciated. Here are the most common greeting expressions in Italian:
- Buongiorno (Good morning)
- Buonasera (Good evening)
- Arrivederci (See you later)
Asking for directions
Whether you need to take the bus, reach the train station, a pharmacy, or find your hotel, asking for directions is one of the most basic things you should know in Italian. Here are some common phrases:
- Il Colosseo è lontano da qui? (Is the Colosseum far from here?)
- Scusi, c’è una farmacia vicina? (Excuse me, is there a nearby pharmacy?)
- Scusi, dov’è la stazione ferroviaria? (Excuse me, where is the train station?)
- Scusi, dov’è Via del Cervo? (Excuse me, where is Via del Cervo street?)
At the restaurant
The words, phrases and expressions you might need at the restaurant in Italian are potentially unlimited, but here are some examples of the most common ones:
- Posso avere il menù per favore? (Can I have the menu please?)
- Sono celiaco (I’m gluten intolerant)
- Mi porta il conto? (Can I have the bill?)
Asking for help
This is a bit wide and diverse because there are many occasions you would need help for, but once you learn a few, you will also be able to create new ones. Here are some examples:
- Scusi, dov’è il bagno? (Excuse me, where is the restroom?)
- A che ora arriva l’autobus? (What time does the bus arrive?)
- Come funziona la macchinetta per i biglietti? (How does the ticket machine work?)
Saying the time
Being able to ask about the time and understand the answer is also quite important, as these are expressions that can be used on different occasions, from the hotel to the train station to the streets. Here is how you can use them:
- Che ora è? / Che ore sono?
- A che ora è la colazione?
- A che ora inizia il concerto?
Health issues
Hopefully nothing serious will happen, but when travelling, you are naturally out of your comfort zone, tired and under stress (even if you love the place!), so there is always the possibility of catching a cold, heartburn, headache or any minor ailment. Knowing how to communicate some of these in Italian can be crucial. Here are some examples:
- Cosa mi consiglia per il mal di testa? (What do you suggest for the headache?)
- Ho bruciore di stomaco (I have heartburn)
- Ha qualcosa per far abbassare la febbre? (Do you have anything for the fever?)
Asking for the price
Pretty much everywhere you go, from local markets to boutique stores, you might need to ask for goods’ prices. Here is how you can go:
- Quanto costa? (How much is it?)
- Quanto viene questa gonna? (How much is this skirt?)
- È troppo caro (It’s too expensive)
Expressing preferences
This is also a versatile type of sentence as you can use the same one for food, clothes, leisure activities and pretty much everything. Here are a few examples:
- Mi piace (I like it)
- Non mi piace (I don’t like it)
- Mi piacciono questi pantaloni (I like these trousers)
- Non mi piace la pizza (I don’t like pizza)
Introductions
Whether you are on a business trip or a vacation, chances are you are going to make new friends, so introducing yourself
- Mi chiamo Giovanni (My name is Giovanni)
- Come ti chiami? (What’s your name?)
- Di dove sei? (Where are you from?)
- Sono di Roma (I’m from Rome)
- Come stai? (How are you?)
Did you know any of these? Did you find any of these phrases difficult to understand or memorise? Let me know!
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