Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.
Here are the bare minimum of Italian words and phrases you need to know to survive.
Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.
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Hello.
How much is it?|
Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ...
The Top 20 ... |
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Come si chiama? What is your name? Mi chiamo ... My name is ... Come sta? How are you? Bene. E Lei? Fine. And you? Dov'è ...? Where is ...? Dove sono i gabinetti? Uomini/Donne Where is the toilet? Men/Women Mi dispiace. Mi scusi. Sorry. Excuse me. Non c'è problema. No problem. Voglio ... I want ... Non voglio ... I don't want ... |
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Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...
The Top 30 ... |
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Da dove viene? Where are you from? Vengo dall'Australia.* I am from Australia. Il conto, per favore. The bill, please. Mi sono perso. (man) Mi sono persa. (woman) I'm lost. Si fermi! Aspetti! Stop! Wait! Qui, lì, là. Here, there, over there. Taxi. Albergo. Aeroporto. Stazione. Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station. Mi piace ... I like ... Non mi piace ... I don't like ... uno, due, tre, quattro, cinque. one, two, three, four, five. sei, sette, otto, nove, dieci. six, seven, eight, nine, ten. *Or choose your country: dall'America - from America dal Canada - from Canada dall'Inghilterra - from England dall'Irlanda - from Ireland dalla Nuova Zelanda - from New Zealand |
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Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...
Useful Extras ... |
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Salute! Cheers! buono / brutto good / bad grande / piccolo big / small vicino / lontano near / far meno / più less / more un altro / abbastanza another / enough Sono vegetariano. (man) Sono vegetariana. (woman) I am vegetarian. Non mangio carne. I don't eat meat. ... pollo. ... chicken. ... pesce. ... fish. Sono alergico alla frutta secca. (man) Sono alergica alla frutta secca. (woman) I am allergic to nuts. ... alle arachide. ... to peanuts. ... al pesce. ... to fish. ... ai frutti di mare. ... to seafood. ... all'uovo. ... eggs. |
Consonants:
Doubled consonants are pronounced long
c before e or i is pronounced as ch as in church (tʃ)
ch before e or i is pronounced as k as in kite
g before e or i is pronounced as j as in judge (dʒ)
gh before e or i is pronounced as g as in gate
h is silent
gl is pronounced as ly as in million (ʎ)
gn is pronounced as ny as in canyon (ɲ)
qu is pronounced as qu as in queen (kw )
rr is a trilled r
sc before e or i is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
sch before e or i is pronounced as sk as in skate
z is pronounced as ts as in cats or dz as in adze
Doubled consonants are pronounced long
c before e or i is pronounced as ch as in church (tʃ)
ch before e or i is pronounced as k as in kite
g before e or i is pronounced as j as in judge (dʒ)
gh before e or i is pronounced as g as in gate
h is silent
gl is pronounced as ly as in million (ʎ)
gn is pronounced as ny as in canyon (ɲ)
qu is pronounced as qu as in queen (kw )
rr is a trilled r
sc before e or i is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
sch before e or i is pronounced as sk as in skate
z is pronounced as ts as in cats or dz as in adze