June 21, 2016

Don't waste time and start communicating after just a few lessons. Italians are friendly people, they don’t mind talking just like that, “without obligations”, they enthusiastically accept everyone who takes the first steps towards their country, so the likelihood of finding contacts for training is almost 100%.
✓ For everyone who has started learning Italian and is in a hurry to enter into dialogue with a native speaker.
✓ For those who want to acquire their Italian happiness, step towards their dream.
✓ To spend time effectively on your studies, you need to start practicing as soon as possible.

Pronunciation in Italian is quite simple. It is important to know that the letter “L, l” is pronounced almost like “l” [written for convenience in “Russian letters” as “љ”], and the letter “E, e” will sound in most cases like “e”. In addition, there are diphthongs, triphthongs and polyphthongs in Italian (when two or more vowel sounds merge into one), which require preliminary training. And the letter combinations “gl” and “gn”, where the first letter is “mute”, and the second are always pronounced very, very softly, that is, “l” and “ny” (this explanation is a little primitive, but in this case it is quite acceptable). You also need to remember that in Italian there is no sound “x”, but there is a bkuva “h” (akka) and it will always be mute or “change” the sound that follows it. For those who want to delve deeper into this topic: .
The stress in Italian words often falls on the penultimate syllable. If the stress falls on the last syllable, then the vowel letter is indicated by a diacritic (gravis or acute).
Quite often there are words in which the letter i unreadable, but affects the reading of the previous consonant. For example: cia [cha] gia [ja]. If this letter is under stress or in the common ending for all 1st person plural verbs. (-iamo), then it is pronounced

Essential phrases to start a conversation

First, let's say hello:
Hello! Bye! - Ciao![chAo]
The most common word when meeting, and when parting they sometimes say (as in Russian): bye-bye - ciao-ciao.
Hello/hello! — Salve![sAљve]
A universal greeting for both familiar and polite communication.
Good afternoon/morning! — Buon giorno![buOnjOrno]
Good evening! — Buona sera![buOnasEra]
Good night! — Buona notte![buOnanOtte]
These greetings can be written either together or separately (more often they are written together).

Yes - Sì[si] / No - No[But]
Thank you— Grazie[grace]
Please (upon request) - Per favor[peer favore]
Please (after thanks) —Prego[preego]
You're welcome - Di niente [di nEnte]
OK! Fine! Great! — OK! Va bene[va bene] ! Perfetto[perfEtto] !

Various kinds of phrases for “exchanging pleasantries”:
How are you? How are you doing? — Come stay?[kOme stay]
How are you? — Come on?[kome sta]
How are you(lit. How is it going? and only for familiar communication) - Come on?[kome wa]
In reply:
I'm fine. I'm fine. — Sto bene.[one hundred bene]
So-so. —Così così.[goat goat]
Badly. — Male.[mAљe]
Everything is OK.(in response to come va?) - Va bene.[va bene]

Express emotions from communication:
Nice to meet you). — Piacere di conoscerti.[piachEre di konOcherti]
Nice to meet you). — Piacere di conoscerLa. [piachEre di conOsherla]
And I am pleased (in response). — Piacere mio.[pyachEre mIo]
I'm glad/glad.— Sono contento/contenta. [sono contEnto/contEnta]
Very happy/happy. — Molto lieto/lieta.[it's pouring/flying]
I'm happy/happy to see you. — Sono felice di vederti.[sOno feIche di vedErti]

Explain the degree of understanding:
I understood/understood. — Ho capito.[about capito]
I don't understand. — Non capisco.[non capisco]
Clear. It's clear. — È chiaro. Capito.[e kyaro] [capIto]
Speak (speak), please, more slowly. — Parla (parli) più lento (piano), per favore. [pArљa drink љEnto (drunk) per favore]
Repeat (repeat) please. — Ripeti (ripeta), per favore. [rip These peers favOre]
I do not know that. — Non lo so.[non io so]
How do you say it in Italian? — Come si dice in italiano?[kome si diche in italiano]
You understand me? — Mi capisci?[mi kapIshi]
Do you speak Russian/English? — Parli russo/inglese?[parly russo/ingљEze]

Express agreement/disagreement:
I disagree.— (non) — Sono d'accordo.[(non)sono d'accordo]
You are right. — Hai ragione.[ay rajOne]
You're wrong. — Hai torto. [ay torto]
Yes, sure! — Sì, certo![si, damn]
Absolutely yes/no. — Assolutamente sì / no.[assolutamEnte si/no]
Actually, yes. — Proprio così. [proprio kozi]
I'm against …(something) - Sono contrario / -a a…[withOno counter-Ario]

For online communication:
Are you here? — Ci sei?[chi sei]
I'm here. — Sono qui.[sono kuI]
Do not you hear me? — (non) Mi senti?[(non) mi sEnty]
I can not hear you. — (non) Ti sento.[(non)ti sEnto]
Do you (not) see me? — (non) Mi vedi?[(non) mi vEdi]
I can not see you. —(non) Ti vedo.[(non)ti vEdo]
I can hear you well/badly. — Ti sento bene / male.[ti sEnto bene/male]
Not very good. — Non troppo bene.[non troppo bene]
I'll call you back … — Ti richiamerò…[ti rikyamareO]
... in five minutes. — …fra* cinque minuti.[fra chInque minUti]
… in one hour. — … tra* un’ora.[tra un Ora]
I'm calling/calling you... — Ti chiamo(present) / chiamero(bud.)** ... [ti kYamo/kyamareO]
… In the next few days. — … nei prossimi giorni.[nay prossimi jorni]
... (this) evening. — ...stasera.[stasEra]
… Tomorrow. — ... domani.[domAni]
… on Saturday.(see days of the week) - ... sabato. [sAbato]
My computer (tablet) did not work. — Il mio computer (tablet) non è funzionato. [iљ mIo computer non e funcionalo]
I've got problems with the Internet. — Ho problemi con l'internet.
send-mandare:io mando/tu mandi(present) [mando/mandi]
io ho mandato / tu hai mandato (past) [o mandato/ay mandato]
receive—ricevere:io ricevo/tu ricevi(present) [richEvo/richEvi]
io ho ricevuto/tu hai ricevuto.(past) [about richevUto/ai richevUto]
* the prepositions tra/fra in modern Italian are equivalent and are used in more convenient combinations for euphony.
** since in Italian the aspect of the verb is not expressed in the infinitive and in many cases does not have such an important meaning as in Russian, the present tense is often used to express actions in the future (especially in colloquial speech).

In Italian, as in Russian, verbs change according to persons, numbers and more (more details:), so the same verb will have different forms when we talk about ourselves or ask something with the same verb.
My name is … — Mi chiamo* …(lit. “I am called”) [mi kYamo]
Italians quite rarely communicate using “you” in an informal setting, so the 2nd person singular forms are used more often.
What is your name? — Come ti chiami?(lit. “what are you called”) [kome ti kyami]
What is your name? — Come Si Chiama?[kOme si kyama]
* The verb chiamare is used in both "to call" and "to call".

The verb “to be” (essere) is used in the present tense and many phrases can be constructed using the construction “I am...”, including by saying your name.
I am) … — Sono...[sOno]
… (Name). — … (nome).[nOme]
... Russian / Russian. — ... russo / russa.[Russo] / [Russa]
… from Moscow. — ...di Mosca.[di moska]
...student/student. — …studente/studentessa.[studentEnte] / [studentEssa]
... lonely / lonely. — ...single.[sing(o)љ]
… married. — … sposato / sposata.[sposAto] / [sposAta]
...divorced/divorced. — …divorziato/divorziata.[divorciAto] / [divorciAta]
... widower/widow. — …vedovo/vedova.[vEdovo] / [vEdova]
... betrothed / betrothed. — …fidanzato/fidanzata.[fidanzAto] / [fidanzAta]
Questions that can be asked with the form of the verb “essere”:
Where are you (are) from? — Di dove sei? [di dove say]
Are you (are) married? — Sei sposato / sposata?[sei spozAto/spozAta]
We define location using the verbs “to live” (vivere) and “to dwell” (abitare). The first means a broader concept, and the second means the specific process of living in a specific place.
Where do you live/live? — Dove vivi/abiti?[dove vivi/abiti]
I live in Moscow, Russia. — Vivo in Russia / Abito a Mosca. [vivo in russia] / [Abito a moska]
— the prepositions “in” (in the country) and “a” (in the city) are similar in meaning, but in Italian they are used for different purposes.

Italians rarely ask directly about work, but the expression “what do you do in life? “Che fai nella vita?” implies a question about work. The education of Italians in everyday communication worries even less, but everyone sleeps and dreams of getting “un bel posto” - a good job, with a high salary - “stipendio”, without the risk of dismissal (a convenient contract) and with minimal employment at the workplace.
What do you do in your life? - Che fai nella vita? [ke fay neљљa vita]
What good are you doing? - Che fai di bello? [ke fi di bello]
What do you do for a living? - Che lavoro fai? [ke љavOro fay]
What are you doing? Di che cosa ti occupi? [di ke koza ti Occupy]
I... - Sono... [withOno]
...doctor - medico. [mEdiko]
...housewife - casalinga. [Inga said]
I work... - Faccio... [faccio]
...doctor - il dottore. [iљ dotTore]
I work like... - Lavoro come...
manager... - manager [mEnager]
I am an economist by profession. — Sono economista di mestiere. [sono ekonomista di mastiEre]
I graduated / finished (about higher education) ... - Mi sono laureato / laureata [mi sono laureato / laureata]
Sono studente/studentessa. [withOno studentEnte/studentEssa]
Studio all'Università (del teatro). [studio аљUniversity]
➡

More often you can hear a question about what you ate... This question can be answered in detail, and in response you can hear an equally colorful story with characteristic smacking and gestures.
Did you eat / did you eat? — Hai mangiato?[ay manjAto]
What did/did you eat today? — Cosa hai mangiato oggi?[koza ai manjAto Oji]
I ate / ate pizza today. — Oggi ho mangiato una pizza.[Oji o mangiato Una pizza]
Yesterday I was / was in a restaurant. — Ieri sono stato/stata al ristorante. [yeri sono stAto / stAta aљ ristorAnte]
Tomorrow we are meeting with friends. — Domani ci incontriamo con gli amici. [domAni ch'inkontriAmo con li amIchi]

With the verb “have” (avere) you can talk about many things, including age.
More about numbers and numerals:
I'm... years old. — Ho… anni.[about... Annie]
I have … — Ho...[O…]
... children / son / daughter. — ...figli / figlio / figlia.[filya/filyo/filya]
...brother/sister. — …fratello/sorella.[fratElљo/sorElљa]
... parents / mom / dad. — … genitori / mamma / papà.[janitOrie/mAmma/papa]
I have (2, 3...) ...— Ho (due, tre...) ...[o (due, tre...)]
... child, children. — ... figli.[filya]
... son(s). — … f igli.[filya]
... daughter(s). — … figlie.[file]
... brother, brothers/sisters, sisters. —…fratelli/sorelle[fratElli/sorElљe]
Ask a few questions:
How old are you? — Quanti anni hai?[kuAnti Annie ay]
Do you have children? — Hai figli?[ay fily]
Do you have any brothers or sisters? — Hai fratelli o solelle?[ay fratElli about SorElљe]
As you understand, everything that is in Russian “I have” is in Italian “(io) ho” - from sweets to desire.

Italians are affectionate people, they do not skimp on compliments and all kinds of pleasantries, so it is better to immediately start a separate notebook and write down new or favorite phrases. The first few to start with, with verbs essere(to be) and avere(have):
You … — Sei...[say]
… well done/smart. — …bravo/brava.[bravo/brava]
... very smart/smart. — …molto intelligente.[mОљto intelligenceEnte]
... dear/sweetheart. —…carino/carina.[karino/karIna]
You (you have)… — Hai…[ouch]
... good physical characteristics. — …un bel fisico.[un bei fiziko]
… good character. —…un buon carattere.[un buOn karAttere]
… Beautiful face. — …un bel viso.[un bei vIzo]

You can express your tastes and give a compliment again using the verb “like” (piacere):
I like … — Mi piace...(singulars and verbs) [mi pYache]
... Italy. — ... l'Italia.[itAlia]
... Italian. — ... l'italiano.[l'italAno]
… travel. — ... viaggiare.[viajAre]
… Cook food). — ... cucinare.[kuchinAre]
… your smile. — …il tuo sorriso.[iљ tUo sorrIzo]
… your voice. — … la tua voce.[ља tUA vOche]
... talk/talk. — …parlare con te.[parљAre kon te]
I like … — Mi piacciono...(plural) [mi pYachchono]
… your eyes. — …i tuoi occhi.[and tuOi Okky]
… Your words. — … le tue parole.[ље tУе parОље]
… strawberry. — … le fragole.[ље frАгоље]
… apples. — ... le mele.[ље mеље]
Make negative sentences with the same verb:
I don't like … — Non mi piace...(singulars and verbs) [non mi pYache]
I do not like … — Non mi piacciono…(plural) [non mi pyachchono]

In order to say goodbye there are many expressions, it is not necessary to memorize them all at once, especially since there is “ciao” for this:
Goodbye! — Arrivederci![arrivedErchi] (polite form of “you” - ArrivederLa!) [arrividEarl]
See you! — Ci vediamo![chi vediAmo]
There are a number of farewells that require explanation in what cases they are used. All with the preposition "a".
See you later. — A presto.[a presto] (in case there is no definite agreement on the next meeting)
See you (meeting) “later.” — A più tardi.[and I drink TARDI] (when they want to meet later)
Before (meeting) “after”. — A dopo.[a dopo] (when they want to meet after some business or event)
Till tomorrow. — A domani.[a houseAni]
When saying goodbye, they often wish you a good day/evening, but at the same time, the words day and evening will have a slightly different meaning (a day filled with events) and form:
Have a good day! — Buona giornata![buOna jornata]
Good evening! — Buona serata![buOna sirAta]
Good work! — Buon lavoro![buOn javoro]
Happy studying! — Buon studio![buOn studio]
Happy reading! — Buona lettura![buOna љettUra]
Have a nice watching! — Buona visione![buOna visiOne]
Wishes Good night — « buona notte/nottata" - has a somewhat intimate character and is acceptable for closer communication; with a superficial acquaintance, “buona sera / serata” is enough, even if it is five minutes to midnight. In addition to the “familiar” Italian “buono”, there is also a very common wish for “good night” - “serena notte”.
The endings of adjectives change according to gender and number, and there is a plural for mixed and masculine groups and for the feminine gender. In addition, truncation of some endings is common in Italian, which is also reflected in writing: masculine singular adjectives buono=buon, bello=bel.
Nice to meet you). — Piacere di conoscerti.[piachEre di konOcherti]
Piacere mio. — I'm pleased (in response). [pyachEre mIo]
I'm glad/glad. — Sono contento/contenta. First phrases for communication”

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Many lovers of foreign travel dream of visiting Italy, but novice tourists for their first forays into Europe are careful not to plan this country. The main difficulty is not knowing the Italian language, and somehow you can’t hope for English in Italy.

You will be surprised, but in fact you already have a minimum vocabulary for traveling around Italy, since many words in your native language have Latin (let's assume Italian) roots.

You just need to learn the basic Italian words for tourists with transcription and translation, be sincerely friendly with the locals, and the trip will probably be successful.

How to explain yourself without knowing the language - the psychology of communication

Without knowing the local language, you can move around almost any country; in most cases, this is a far-fetched problem, invented in order to hide behind it some other reasons that prevent you from traveling.

How are things in Italy, how do locals treat strangers? Italians love it when foreign visitors show interest in their country. If you try to speak their native language, even if incorrectly, they will definitely help you. Be polite, don't grab the person's hands, don't be nervous, and be sure to make eye contact when speaking.

There are much more chances to communicate using sign language, so with the very first gesture or sound, try to show your interlocutor how much you need him.

Don’t be shy to explain yourself in your native language - this way, a passerby will quickly understand that you are just a foreigner, and not some kind of crazy person. There is also a good chance that the person you stopped may know your native language, at least minimally. There are numerous cases when tourists tried to communicate in all languages, and the interlocutor actually turned out to be a compatriot.

Italian words for tourists with transcription and translation

For your convenience, we will break down all the basic Italian words for tourists by topic, with translation into Russian. Warning: We will not study grammar, spelling or other important aspects. Today our goal is to learn how to compose the simplest chains of words so that you can find the right transport or hotel, order food in a cafe, or go shopping.

Let your sentences be clumsy, but they will be phrases in Italian; for tourists this is quite enough to win over the interlocutor and get the necessary information. You can even communicate on a first-name basis, this is acceptable here.

Acquaintance, communication, just polite words:

• good morning, good afternoon - buon giorno (buon giorno);
• good evening - buona sera (sir's buona);
• hi, bye – ciao (ciao);
• good night - buona notte (buona notte);
• goodbye – arrivederci (arrivederchi);
• how are you – come va (come va);
• see you soon - a presto (a presto);
• how are you - come stai (come stai);
• good – bene (bene);
• magnificent - benissimo (benissimo);
• bad – male (smaller);
• so-so – cosi-cosi (cozy-cosi);
• what is your name - come ti chiami (come ti kyami);
• my name is mi chiamo (mi kyamo);
• yes – si (si);
• no – no (but);
• please – per favore (per favor);
• thank you – grazie (grace);
• sorry - mi scusi (mi skuzi);
• know – so (with);
• I don’t know – non so (non so);
• I understand - capisco (capisco);
• I don’t understand – non capisco (non capisco);
• welcome – benvenuti (benvenuti);
• I am from – sono di (sono di);
• Have a nice journey - buon viaggio (Bon Viaggio);
• you speak - parla (parla);
• for our health - alla salute.

City facilities, location, transport:

• stop – fermata (fermata);
• departure – partenza (partenza);
• arrival – arrivo (arrivo);
• airport – aeroporto (airport);
• railway station - stazione (station);
• bus station - stazione degli autobus (station degli bus);
• train – treno (train);
• bus – autobus (bus);
• metro – metropolitana (metropolitan);
• metro station - stazione della metropolitana (stazione della metropolitana);
• car rental – autonoleggio;
• parking lot - parcheggio (parkeggio);
• hotel – hotel (hotel);
• room – camera;
• to the left, to the left – a sinistra (a sinistra);
• to the right, to the right - a destra (a destra);
• straight – dritto (dritto);
• up – in alto, su (in alto, su);
• down – in basso, giu (in basso, ju);
• far - lontano (lontano);
• close – vicino (vicino);
• long – lungo (lungo);
• short – corto (corto);
• where is – dove si trova (dove si trova);
• where is the toilet - dove e il bagno (dove e il bagno);
• map – mappa (mappa);
• tourist office - informazioni turistiche (information tourism);
• mail – posta (post);
• museum – museo (museo);
• bank – banca (bank);
• police - polizia (police);
• hospital – ospedale (ospedale);
• pharmacy – farmacia (pharmacia);
• store – negozio (negotsio);
• restaurant – ristorante (ristorante);
• street – strada (strada);
• square - piazza (piazza);
• bridge - ponte (ponte).

Restaurant, cafe, ordering food:

• bread – pane (pane);
• drink – bevanda (bevanda);
• coffee – caffe (caffe);
• tea – te (te);
• juice – succo (succo);
• water – acqua (acqua);
• beer – birra (birra);
• wine – vino (wine);
• salt – sale (sale);
• pepper – pepe (pepe);
• meat – carne;
• beef – manzo (manzo);
• pork – maiale (mayale);
• fish – pesce (peshe);
• bird – pollame (pollame);
• vegetables - legumi (legumi);
• fruit – frutta (frutta);
• potatoes – patata (patata);
• salad – insalata (insalata);
• dessert – dessert, dolce (dessert, dolce);
• ice cream – gelato (gelato);
• lunch - pranzo (pranzo);
• dinner – cena (chena);
• takeaway food – da portar via (yes portar via);
• menu – il menu (il menu);
• wine list - la lista dei vini (la lista dei vini);
• set lunch – il menu fisso (il menu fisso);
• The special dish of the day is piatti del giorno.

Signs, shopping:

• open – aperto (aperto);
• closed – chiuso (kyuzo);
• price – prezzo (prezzo);
• how much does it cost - quanto costa (quanto costa);
• expensive – e caro (e caro);
• I’m buying this – prendo questo (prendo questo);
• check, please – scontrino, per favore (scontrino per favore);
• you can make a discount - puo’ farmi uno sconto (puo farmi uno sconto);
• I want to try it on - voglio provare (voglio provare);
• I want to try - voglio assaggiare (voglio assaggiare);
• accept credit cards – accettate carte di credito (accettate carte di credito);
• you have - avreste (avreste).

Numbers in Italian:

• zero – zero (zero);
• one – uno (uno);
• two – due;
• three – tre (tre);
• four – quattro (quattro);
• five – cinque (chique);
• six – sei (sei);
• seven – sette (sette);
• eight – otto (otto);
• nine – nove (new);
• ten – dieci (diechi);
• eleven – undici (undici);
• twelve – dodici (dodichi);
• thirteen – tredici (tradici);
• fourteen - quattordici (quattordici);
• fifteen – quindici (quindici);
• sixteen – sedici (sedici);
• seventeen – diciassette (dichasette);
• eighteen – diciotto (dichotto);
• nineteen – diciannove (dichanove);
• twenty – venti (venti);
• thirty – trenta (tranta);
• forty – quaranta (quaranta);
• fifty – cinquanta (cinquanta);
• sixty – sessanta (sessanta);
• seventy – settanta;
• eighty – ottanta (ottanta);
• ninety – novanta (novanta);
• hundred – cento (cento);
• thousand – mille (mille);
• million - un milione (un million).

Video for beginners: phrases in Italian for tourists

There is an interesting statistic: people who intended to learn only a couple of basic phrases in Italian in order to independently travel around the Apennine Peninsula were happy to continue learning the language. And more and more adjustments were made to vacations in Italy in order to have more free time among native speakers to consolidate the acquired knowledge.

The next series of videos is watched with unflagging interest. Check for yourself: Italian is easy to learn, phrases for tourists are remembered the first time.

Useful services and lifehacks

Experienced travelers, even at the stage of vacation planning, compile their mini-dictionary in Italian. They make a kind of Russian-Italian phrasebook with transcription on cardboard cards with exactly the phrases that they may need. This, of course, works, but it’s better to download special applications for tourists to your smartphone or tablet:

• Detailed maps with all shops, train stations, stops, hotels, cafes, attractions, working offline. Don’t ignore paper maps either, but they are, of course, not for everyone. In many hotels you can get them at the reception absolutely free of charge.
• A program to find the nearest WI-FI distribution points. Free Internet when traveling abroad can be much more important than, for example, a hotel with free breakfast.
• Audio guides to museums downloaded at home will save both money and time. You will not need to buy an excursion and adjust to other tourists.
• Translator application for real-time communication. With it, there is no longer any need to learn even basic Italian words; for tourists without the ability to speak foreign languages, this is a real lifesaver.
• An application that recognizes texts and translates them will help you translate a sign, road sign, or any inscription. You simply point the screen, for example, at a menu in a cafe, and the translation is ready.

More tips on how to order in a restaurant without knowing the language:

• Look for a cafe with a menu in Russian or English, although this is not the best option: the establishment is geared towards the tourist flow, for a one-time visit and, most likely, the food there will not be of the highest quality.
• Ideal if you come across a menu with pictures. You can simply go to the place you like, look around and point your finger at what attracted you. Don’t be shy about such gestures, Italians take it calmly.
• Learn the necessary phrases in Italian for tourists with transcription to correctly pronounce the names of dishes, but it’s enough just to know a few words - fish, chicken, tea, coffee, bread, butter, hot, cold, and pasta, pizza, ravioli, tiramisu and you already know that.

One T-shirt with 40 icons equals about 1000 words

An Iconspeak World T-shirt, sweatshirt or sweatshirt can serve as a universal means of communication. There are icons on the clothes that indicate the most frequently asked questions when traveling. A stylish and practical thing, it’s been proven: the pictures on the T-shirt help you communicate without problems anywhere with anyone.

We hope that our Italian phrasebook for beginners will be useful to you and your holiday will be smooth. Have a nice holiday! Buona fortuna!

Then I felt like Ellochka the cannibal. I know a lot of words, but I can confidently use dozens of them. It can only be worse if you don’t know the language of the country you’re visiting at all. I had to make myself a list of irreplaceable phrases and expressions. At first, even without knowing how to put words into sentences, I learned to masterfully use this list, conducting a dialogue practically using only these phrases. And if you come on vacation and want to be treated as “one of our own” and served at “domestic”, non-tourist prices, then this set is an absolute must have!

Phrases needed when meeting and getting to know each other

C iao/Salve/Buongiorno– Hello / Hello / Good afternoon

Come on? (Kome hundred?) - How are you doing?

Bene! (Bane) - Fine! Tutto bene! (Tutto bene) - Very good!

Sono… (Sono...) - I am... and then there’s a ton of options. With this wonderful verb you can describe your whole life J)

Sono Elena, sono russa, sono giornalista, sono felice... – I’m Elena, I’m Russian, a journalist, I’m happy...

Piacere (Piacere) - Nice to meet you!

There will still be misunderstandings, and then use the following phrases

Cosa? (Goat?) - What? or Scusami, cosa?(WITH bodies, goat?) - Sorry, that?

Non capisco, mi dispiace(N he capisco, mi dispjache). - Sorry, I do not understand.

Come si chiama? (Kome si kyama?) - How does is called?

And most importantly, add everywhere: Per favore!- Please! And all will be well.

Let's flirt:

Same question: Come si chiama?- translated as follows: “What is your name?” Change si on ti: Come ti chiami?– there will be an informal option.

Ti va di...?- Would you like to...?

For example: Ti va di andare al bar? (Ti va di andare al bar?) - Would you like to go to the bar? or ( Ti va di andare a fare un jiro?) – Would you like to go for a walk?

Volentieri! (Volentieri!) - With pleasure!

Phrases that are indispensable in the market/shop

Vorrei questo (formaggio/ mele/ pesche/ just point with your finger) – Warray questo (formaggio/ mele/ pedestrian) – I would like this (cheese / apples / fish)

Cosí va bene (Kozi va bene) – So just right (when you were given exactly as much as you needed)

Un'po di piu(U n po di drink)- A little more

Un'po di meno (Un po di meno)- A little less

Basta così (Basta kozi)- That's enough. Enough is enough (when you need to stop the shopping extravaganza)

Vorrei vedere questo, per favore (Warray vedere questo, per favore)– I want to see this, please (dress in a store, etc.)

Quanto costa? (Quanto costa?) - What is the price?

Dimmi! or Mi dica! (Dimmy! or Mi wild!) - Tell me! - and this is what they usually say about you. The bartender at the counter, the salesman behind the counter - as a rule, they begin their address to you with these words.

If you went to a restaurant

Italians. In the morning (from 7-8 to 10 o’clock) – coffee and croissant. Only at this time of day do real Italians drink cappuccino, then only un café (regular espresso). If you order cappuccino after 11 am, you are a foreigner :). We order colazione (colacione) breakfast like this:

Un coffee and una pasta– One coffee (espresso) and a bun (pasta is a unifying name for different types of baked goods; you usually just point your finger at the type you want)

Un capuccino and un cornetto (root́ that's it), per favore – Cappuccino And croissant, Please.

Pranzo (prandzo) Lunch

It starts at 12 and lasts somewhere until 14.30-15. At this time, in cafes you can have a snack on a panini with mozzarella, prosciutto and tomatoes, a slice of pizza to take away, or choose dishes from the lunch menu presented in the window. There you will find cold cuts, marinated olives, artichokes, a couple of types of pasta, vegetables and the same panini.

In tourist places you can often see notices on the doors of cafes: Menu fisso– fixed menu. Similar to our business lunch. You can choose some pasta or lasagna for the first course, and meat or fish plus a drink for the second course. The cost of such a menu is usually 10-12 euros.

Apperitivo— Aperitif

This is what helps Italians last from early lunch to late dinner. The aperitif is served starting at 17, sometimes from 18-19. At this time, having ordered an alcoholic drink at the bar, you get access to a salad bar: mini-pizzas, sliced ​​vegetables, a couple of types of pasta, pickled vegetables, nuts, chips and etc. In some generous bars, by paying 6-7 euros for your cocktail, you can have a hearty dinner J) So, take note.

Cena (Chen) Dinner

Restaurants usually start filling up at 20:00 (in tourist places they open earlier - at 19:00). What phrases may be needed here:

Un tavolo per due/ tre/ quattro (un tavolo per due/ tre/ quattro) – table for two/three/four.

The waiter usually escorts you to the right table, but if there are many empty seats, then you can choose. In Italy menu- this is something fixed (see menu of the day above), a full menu in our understanding is la carta.

Well, ordering food is not difficult to handle. The only thing I recommend is to try the dish of the day or a traditional dish. Use the phrase:

Avete dei piatti del giorno/ specialità? (Avete dei piatti del giorno/specialita?) – Do you have a dish of the day / something special?

Regarding drinks:

Possiamo avere una bottiglia di aqua? (Possiamo avere una botilja di aqua?) – Can we have a bottle of water?

Vino di casa (Vino di casa) - Home wine.

And in conclusion:

Il conto, per favore (Il conto, per favore) - The check, please.

Possiamo pagare separatamente? (Possyamo pagare separatamente?) – Can we pay separately?

Can I? If I want to?

When you need to ask permission (to enter, take something, sit at a table you like, etc.): - Posso? (Posso?) - I can?

Although, when pushing through a crowd, it is better to say: Permesso! (Permesso!) - Allow me!

And when you need something, say: Ho bisogno di… (O bisogno di...) – I need... (and then the finger/dictionary will help you)

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY MASTEREDCIAOANDQUANTO COSTA

For those for whom the phrases above are already a passed stage, I suggest you replenish your vocabulary with words that Italians use ten times a day.

Che casino!- What a mess! Crazy house!

The next time you get stuck in a queue, get confused by some signs, etc. ... please complain. They will understand you, support you and maybe even be able to help you.

Magari!- I would like to!

A great word for expressing hope. The Italians will repeat it at every step. It doesn’t matter what we’re talking about: about catching a train, or about the weather being unlucky, or about making sure that the bread in the shop isn’t sold out before you arrive.

Dipende da te- It depends on you. As you want.

An excellent expression that bounces the question back to the interlocutor, allowing him to make his own decision.

Another phrase that is indispensable in dialogues: In che senso?- What do you mean? In terms of?

For example: Marco è un ragazzo cattivo. – In che senso?

The Italian temperament has difficulty coping with boring, routine activities, which is why you constantly hear from an Italian doing such work:

Сhe noia!(Ke noya!) - What boredom!

And if you have something important to do: an interview, an exam, an important meeting, they will definitely wish you:

In bocca al lupo – Crepi il lupo!- Break a leg! - To hell!

This expression has an interesting etymology: literally speaking, they want you to feel as calm and reliable as little wolf cubs in the mouth of a caring she-wolf. Here is a reference to the story about Romulus and Remus, suckled by a she-wolf.

And finally, if you are tired of someone’s obsessive advances or just want to send everyone away, then the Italians have a lot of expressions for this. Here are a couple of moderately abusive ones:

Vai a farti benedire! — May you be blessed! (literally speaking) orVai a quel paese!- Yes, go to that country (again literally speaking). But figuratively, these are exactly the very feelings that you wanted to express.

(c) Elena Asanova

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When traveling along popular tourist routes in Italy, it is quite possible to do without knowledge of the language. In Rome, Florence, Milan and Venice, many Italians, and especially young people, speak English quite fluently. But if you want to “dig” the country deeper and turn off the highway into the village, then knowledge of at least the basics of Italian will come in very handy. And the deeper you go into the Italian countryside, the more useful it will be to know at least the most basic words.

Together with Vika – ours – BlogoItaliano has compiled a short list of the most common words in the Italian language that may be useful to you on your trip. And to make their use even easier, next to each word/phrase, we have written a Russian transcription on how to pronounce it correctly.

Italian language - words: Greetings

Ciao! (ciao) - Hello! (at the meeting) /Bye! (at goodbye)

Salve! (salve) - colloquial. Hello! Good health!

Buon giorno! (buon giorno) - Good afternoon! Good morning! (Although the original translation of this phrase is “good afternoon”, in Italy, no matter how early the morning starts, you can immediately say Buon giorno!)

Buon pomeriggio! (buon pomeriggio) - Good afternoon! (it’s better to use this phrase in the afternoon, when saying goodbye, wishing you a good day!)

Buona sera! (buonasera) - Good evening!

Buona notte! (buonanotte) - Good night!

Arrivederci! (arrivederchi) - Goodbye!

A presto! (appresto) - See you soon!

Tante belle cose! (tante belle kose) - All the best!

Come va? (come va) - How are you?

Come stay? (kome flock) - How (are you) doing? How do you feel?

Come on? (coma hundred) - How (are you) doing? How are you feeling?

Molto bene! / Benissimo! (molto bene / benissimo) - Very good! Great! Fabulous!

Bene! (Bene) - Good!

Cosi-cosi! (kozi-kozi) - So-so!

Male! (male) - Bad!

Italian language - words: Dating

You can find out the name of your interlocutor using the following phrases:

Come ti chiami? (kome ti kyami) - What is your name?

Come si chiama? (kome si kyama) - What is your name?

You can answer this like this:

Mi chiamo... / Io sono (mi kyamo.../ io sono...) - my name is (name)

After exchanging names it is customary to say:

Piacere! (piachere) - Nice (to meet you)!

Polite words

Grazie (grace) - thank you;

Grazie tante/ Molte grazie (grace tante/ pray grace) - thank you very much;

Prego (prego) - please (in response to “thank you”)

Per favore/ Per cortesia/ Per piacere (per favore/ per cortesia/ per piacere) - please (if requested)

Mi scusi (mi skuzi) - sorry

Si (si) - yes

No (but) - no

Words for market and store

Quanto costa? (quanto costa) - How much does it cost?

Vorrei comprare questa cosa (Vorrei comprare cuesta cosa) - I would like (would like) to buy this thing.

Prendo questo (prendo questo) – I take/buy this;

Prezzo (prezzo) – price;

Aperto (aperto) - open;

Chiuso (kyuzo) – closed;

Voglio provare (voglio provare) - I want to try it on;

Voglio assaggiare (voglio assaggiare) - I want to try;

Puo' farmi uno sconto? (puo farmi uno skonto) - Could you give me a discount?

E caro (e karo) - expensive;

Poco prezzo/ a buon mercato (poco prezzo/ buon mercato) – cheap

Scontrino, per favore! (scontrino perfavore) – check, please!

Words for navigation

Dove si trova...? (dove si trova) – where is......?

A sinistra (and sinistra) – left, left;

A destra (and destra) - to the right, to the right;

Fermata (fermata) - stop

Aeroporto (airport) - airport;

Stazione (station) - railway station;

Capisco (capisco) - I understand;

Non capisco (non capisco) - I don’t understand;

So (co) – I know;

Non so (non so) - I don’t know;

And finally, congratulations:

Auguri! (auguri) – this is how you can congratulate on any holiday: birthday, angel’s day, etc. This literally means “congratulations.”

Alla salute is a toast that means “to our health.”

I hope our impromptu list of the most commonly used words and expressions in the Italian language will help make your trip more comfortable, easier and enjoyable.

By the way, Vika recorded a separate video with 30 popular words and expressions that may be useful to you on your trip. Check it out now because it has a lot of useful stuff:

I am very grateful to Vika for her help in preparing the material and remind you that she conducts individual lessons via Skype with those who want to improve their Italian or learn the language from scratch. A trial lesson with Vika is free, so you don’t risk anything.

You can agree on a time for a trial lesson by emailing Vika or by sending a message via the feedback form below.