By Bridget Castner
If you’re planning to travel to Italy and want to communicate effectively, it’s best to know some common Italian phrases to help get you get by.
To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of some helpful Italian phrases for travel to use throughout your journey!
Main Phrases and Greetings
This first list should help get you through some main Italian phrases and greetings from “hello”, and “goodbye”, to asking someone if they speak English, and letting someone know you don’t understand what they are saying.
Ciao! (Chow)
Hello!
Parla Inglese? (Pah-la een-glay-zeh)
Do you speak English?
Non parlo Italiano (no-n par-lo Itali-ano)
I don’t speak Italian
Arrivederci (Ahr-ree-veh-dehr-chee)
Goodbye
Mi chiamo (Mee kyaho-moh)
My name is
Come ti chiama (com-e ti chi-am)
What’s your name?
Non capisco (Non kah-pee-skoh)
I don’t understand
Piacre (Pyah-cheh-rh)
Pleased to meet you
Come Sta? (Koh-meh stah)
How are you?
Scusi (Skoo-zee)
Excuse me (When wanting to ask a question)
Permesso (Pehr-mehs-soh)
Excuse me (When you want to pass by)
Helpful Phrases When Dining Out
These Italian phrases will help you when eating out, from letting your server know you have a food allergy, to asking for the check.
Il menu, per favore (eel-men-oo, pehr fah-voh-reh)
Can I see the menu, please?
Sono allergica/o (Son-oh ah-ler-gee-koh)
I’m allergic to…
Che cosa ci consiglia? (Kay koh-za chee kon-sel-y)
What do you recommend?
Avete (Av-ay-te)
Do you have?
Un bicchiere (Oon beech-er-e)
A glass
Una forchetta (Oona for-kay-ta)
A fork
Un cucchiaio (Oon coo-ci-ayo)
A spoon
Sale (Sa-lay)
Salt
Pepe (Pe-pay)
Pepper
Dolce (Dul-che)
Dessert
Sono/a vegetariano/a (So-no/a vege-tari-ano/a)
I am vegetarian
Sono/a vegano/a (So-no/a vey-gan-o/a)
I am vegan
Il conto, per favore (Eel kon-toh, per fah-voh-red)
The check, please
Il bagno (eel ban-nyo)
The bathroom
Clarification Phrases/Asking for Directions
This short list should help you ask someone to repeat their statement, speak more slowly, or ask for simple directions like where the nearest train station is.
Può ripetere? (pu-ua re-pet-ere)
Could you repeat that?
Parlare più lentamente, per favore (po-tre-stay parl-aray pu-ua lenta-mente por favor-e)
Speak more slowly, please
Sinistra (Sini-stra)
Left
Destra (Des-tra)
Right
L’autobus (le auto-boos)
The bus
Dov'e (Doh-veh?)
Where is...?
Dov'e la stazione? (Doh-veh lah stah-tzee-oh-neh)
Where is the train station?
Un/due biglietto/i (Oon beel-yet-toh/tee)
One/two tickets
L’aereo (la-er-ayo)
The plane
L'aeroporto (la-ayro-porto)
The airport
In Case of Emergency
Aiuto!(Ay-oo-toh!)
Help!
Chiami la polizia (kee-ya-mee la po-lee-zee-ah)
Call the police
Ho bisogno di un dottore(Ho biz-on-nyo dee oon dot-tor-reh)
I need a doctor
Mi sono persa (Mee so-no per-sa)
I'm lost
Non trovo il mio passaporto (no-n tro-vo il mio pasa-porto)
I can't find my passport
Per favore mi aiuti (per fav-ore mi ai-uti)
Please help me
