Italian Greetings

Buongiorno! (bwohn-johr-noh) (Hello! and Good morning!)

Arrivederci! (ahr-ree-veh-dehr-chee) (Goodbye!) (Formal)
Ciao! (chou) (Hello! and Good-bye!) (Informal)
Salve! (sahl-veh) (Hello! and Good-bye!) (Neutral)
Buonasera! (bwoh-nah-seh-rah) (Good afternoon! Good evening!) (Formal)
Buonanotte! (bwoh-nah-noht-teh) (Good night!) (Informal)
Come si chiama? (koh-meh see kyah-mah) (What is your name?) (Formal)
Come ti chiami? (koh-meh tee kyah-mee) (What is your name?) (Informal)
Mi chiamo(mee kyah-moh) (My name is. . .)
Come sta? (koh-meh stah) (How are you?) (Formal)
Come stai? (koh-meh stahy) (How are you?) (Informal)
Bene, grazie. (beh-neh grah-tsee-eh) (Fine, thank you.)

Italian Courtesy Phrases

Per favore (pehr fah-voh-reh) (Please.)

Per piacere (pehr pyah-cheh-reh) (Please.)
Grazie (grah-tsee-eh) (Thank you.)
Prego! (preh-goh) (Youre welcome!; By all means, after you.)
Non c di che. (nohn cheh dee keh) (Youre welcome.)
Mi dispiace. (mee dees-pyah-cheh) (Im sorry.)
Mi scusi. (mee skooh-zee) (Excuse me, formal.)
Scusi, un informazione, per favore. (skooh-zee oohn-een-fohr-mats-yoh-neh pehr fah-
voh-reh) (Excuse me, I need some information, please.)
Scusa. (skooh-zah) (Excuse me, Im sorry, informal)
Permesso? (pehr-mehs-soh) (Excuse me when walking through a crowded train
compartment; also, May I come in? when crossing the threshold of someones house.)
S. (see) (Yes.)
No. (noh) (No.)

Basic Question Words in Italian

Parla inglese? (pahr-lah een-gleh-zeh) (Do you speak English?)

Chi? (kee) (Who?)
Cosa? (koh-sah) (What?)
Quando? (kwahn-doh) (When?)
Dove? (doh-veh) (Where?)
Perch? (pehr-keh) (Why?)
Come? (koh-meh) (How?)
Quanto? (kwanh-toh) (How much?)
Helpful phrases:

Dov la stazione? (doh-veh lah stah-tsyoh-neh) (Where is the station?)

Scusi, dov il bagno? (skooh-zee doh-veh eel bahn-yoh) (Where is the bathroom?)
Quanto dista il Colosseo? (kwahn-toh dees-tah eel koh-lohs-seh-oh) (How far is the
Coloseum?)
Dove si mangia il miglior gelato? (doh-veh see mahn-jah eel meel-yohr geh-lah-toh)
(Where can you get the best ice cream?)

Come si arriva in Piazza della Repubblica? (koh-meh see ahr-ree-vah een pyahts-sah
dehl-lah reh-pooh-blee-kah) (How do you get to Piazza della Repubblica?)

Getting Help for Emergencies in Italian

Aiuto! (ah-yooh-toh) (Help!)

Emergenza! (eh-mehr-jehn-tsah) (Emergency!)
Chiamate la polizia! (chee-ah-mah-teh lah poh-lee-tsee-ah) (Call the police!)
Chiamate unambulanza! (kee-ah-mah-teh ooh-nahm-booh-lahn-tsah) (Call an
ambulance!)
Ho bisogno di un medico. (oh bee-zoh-nyoh dee oohn meh-dee-koh) (I need a doctor.)
Dov lospedale? (doh-veh lohs-peh-dah-leh) (Where is the hospital?)
Mi sento molto male. (mee sehn-toh mohl-toh mah-leh) (I feel very sick.)

Ordering Food and Drink in Italian

Un cappucccino, per favore. (oohn kahp-pooh-chee-noh pehr fah-voh-reh) (A

cappuccino, please.)
Un bicchiere di acqua minerale per favore. (oohn bee-kyeh-reh dee ahk-wah meen-eh-
rah-leh perh fah-voh-reh). (A glass of mineral water, please.)
Mezzo litro dacqua. (mehdz-zoh lee-troh dahk-wah) (Half a liter of water.) (Generally,
you would take this to go, not standing at the bar)
Mezzo chilo di pesche, per piacere. (mehdz-zoh kee-loh dee pehs-keh perh pyah-cheh-
reh) (Half a kilo of peaches, please.)
Quanto viene? (kwahn-toh vyeh-neh) (How much does it come to?)
Un gelato di 2 euro, per favore. (oohn geh-lah-toh dee dooh-eh eh-ooh-roh pehr fah-
voh-reh) (A 2-Euro size ice cream, please.)
Quali gusti? (kwah-lee goohs-tee) (What flavors?)
Ci fa il conto, per favore?/Ci porta il conto? (chee fah eel kohn-toh pehr fah-voh-
reh/chee pohr-tah eel kohn-toh) (Will you bring us the bill please?)