The Around the World phrasebook
Let's learn traveller's Italian
Not the school kind — the airport, taxi and dinner-table kind. Every phrase with a say-it-out-loud pronunciation.
Nobody expects you to speak fluent Italian. But ten words in the right places — and the market seller smiles, the driver drops the price, the waiter brings the good stuff. We've gathered 65 phrases that actually work, sorted by the moment you'll need them: the landing, the taxi, check-in, the table. Each with a pronunciation you can read aloud without cringing.
Phrasebook · 1/8
First words
| What you want to say | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | Buongiorno | bwon-JOR-no |
| Hello (informal) | Ciao | CHOW |
| Goodbye | Arrivederci | ah-ree-veh-DER-chee |
| Thank you | Grazie | GRAHTS-yeh |
| Please | Per favore | per fah-VO-reh |
| Yes | Sì | SEE |
| No | No | NO |
| Sorry | Mi dispiace | mee dee-spyah-CHEH |
| I don't understand | Non capisco | non kah-PEES-ko |
| Do you speak English? | Parla inglese? | PAR-lah een-GLEH-zeh? |
Phrasebook · 2/8
Courtesy & introductions
| What you want to say | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Buongiorno | bwon-GIOR-no |
| Good evening | Buonasera | bwon-ah-SEH-rah |
| How are you? | Come stai? | KOH-meh STAI |
| My name is... | Mi chiamo... | mee KYAH-mo |
| Nice to meet you | Piacere | pyah-CHEH-reh |
| I am from Israel | Sono di Israele | SOH-noh dee ee-zrah-EH-leh |
| See you | Arrivederci | ah-ree-veh-DER-chee |
Phrasebook · 3/8
At the airport & on the flight
| What you want to say | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the gate? | Dov'è il gate? | do-VEH eel GATE |
| Is the flight delayed? | Il volo è in ritardo? | eel VO-loh eh een ree-TAR-doh |
| Boarding pass | Carta d'imbarco | KAR-tah deem-BAR-koh |
| My luggage hasn't arrived | Il mio bagaglio non è arrivato | eel MEE-oh ba-GAL-yoh non eh ah-ree-VAH-toh |
| I have a connecting flight | Ho un volo di coincidenza | oh oon VO-loh dee koh-een-chee-DEN-tsah |
| Window/aisle seat | Posto finestrino/corridoio | POS-toh fee-neh-STREE-noh/ko-ree-DOH-yoh |
| Where is passport control? | Dov'è il controllo passaporti? | do-VEH eel kon-TROH-loh pah-sah-POR-tee |
Phrasebook · 4/8
Transport & directions
| What you want to say | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| To this address, please | A questo indirizzo, per favore | ah KWE-sto in-di-RI-tso, per fa-VO-reh |
| How much to the center? | Quanto costa per il centro? | KWAN-to KOS-ta per eel CHEN-tro |
| One ticket to… | Un biglietto per… | oon beel-YE-to per… |
| Which platform? | Quale binario? | KWA-leh bee-NA-ryo |
| Where is the bus station? | Dove si trova la stazione degli autobus? | DO-veh see TRO-va la sta-TSYO-neh DE-lyee OW-to-boos |
| Stop here, please | Fermati qui, per favore | FER-ma-tee kwee, per fa-VO-reh |
| Is it far? | È lontano? | eh lon-TA-no |
| Turn left/right | Gira a sinistra/destra | JEE-ra ah see-NEES-tra/DES-tra |
| Straight | Dritto | DREE-to |
Phrasebook · 5/8
Hotel & stay
| What you want to say | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation | Ho una prenotazione | hoh OO-nah preh-noh-TAH-tsyo-neh |
| Check-in | Check-in | check-IN |
| Check-out | Check-out | check-OUT |
| Is breakfast included? | La colazione è inclusa? | lah koh-laht-TSYO-neh eh in-KLOO-zah |
| Room key | Chiave della camera | KYA-veh DEL-lah KAH-meh-rah |
| Wi-Fi password | Password del Wi-Fi | PASS-word del WAI-fai |
| Can I leave my luggage? | Posso lasciare i bagagli? | POS-soh lah-SHAH-reh ee bah-GAH-lee |
| The air conditioner is not working | L'aria condizionata non funziona | LAH-ryah kon-dee-tsyo-NAH-tah non foon-tsyo-NAH |
Phrasebook · 6/8
Restaurant & food
| What you want to say | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| A table for two | Un tavolo per due | oon TA-vo-lo per DUE |
| The menu, please | Il menù, per favore | eel me-NU, per fa-VO-re |
| What do you recommend? | Cosa consiglia? | KO-za kon-SI-lya |
| The bill, please | Il conto, per favore | eel KON-to, per fa-VO-re |
| Tap water | Acqua del rubinetto | AK-qua del ru-bi-NE-to |
| I have a nut allergy | Ho un'allergia alle noci | o oon-al-ler-GI-a AL-le NO-chi |
| Without meat | Senza carne | SEN-tsa KAR-ne |
| It was excellent | Era eccellente | E-ra et-che-LEN-te |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagare con la carta? | POS-so pa-GA-re kon la KAR-ta |
Phrasebook · 7/8
Shopping & money
| What you want to say | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | Quanto costa? | KWAN-toh KOS-tah? |
| It's too expensive | È troppo caro | EH TROP-poh KA-roh |
| Do you accept credit cards? | Accettate carte di credito? | at-CHA-teh KAR-teh dee KREH-dee-toh? |
| I'm just looking | Sto solo guardando | STOH SOH-loh gwar-DAN-doh |
| Can I have a receipt? | Posso avere una ricevuta? | POS-soh ah-VEH-reh OO-nah ree-CHEH-voo-tah? |
| Where is an ATM? | Dov'è un bancomat? | doh-VEH oon BAN-ko-maht? |
| A smaller size | Una taglia più piccola | OO-nah TAL-yah pyoo PEE-koh-lah |
Phrasebook · 8/8
Emergencies & health
| What you want to say | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Aiuto! | ai-U-toh |
| Call a doctor. | Chiami un dottore. | KYA-mee oon do-toh-REH |
| Call the police. | Chiami la polizia. | KYA-mee lah po-LEET-syah |
| Where is the pharmacy? | Dov'è la farmacia? | do-VEH lah far-mah-TSEE-yah |
| I don't feel well. | Non mi sento bene. | non mee SEN-toh BEH-neh |
| I'm lost. | Mi sono perso/a. | mee SO-no PER-soh/PER-sah |
| I need a hospital. | Ho bisogno di un ospedale. | oh bee-ZON-yoh dee oon os-peh-DAH-leh |
| It hurts here. | Mi fa male qui. | mee fah MAH-leh kwee |
Q&A
Answers to your questions
How do you say "thank you" in Italian?
"Grazie" (GRAHTS-yeh). It's one of the five words worth knowing by heart before you land.
How much Italian do I need for a trip?
Not much. Five or six courtesy words (hello, thank you, please, sorry, yes/no) open doors, and another ten to fifteen phrases for fixed situations — a taxi, check-in, the restaurant bill — cover almost any trip. The rest: a camera-translation app.
Can you get by in English where Italian is spoken?
In city centres, hotels and tourist sites — usually yes, especially with younger people. Outside them — markets, transport, small towns — a few words of the local language make a real difference and are warmly received.
Which countries have Italian as an official language?
Italian is a main language in 2 countries: Italy, San Marino.
What's the difference between the formal and casual greeting?
Most languages have a formal "hello" for strangers, service staff and elders, and an everyday version for friends and peers. As a traveller it's always safer to open with the formal one — nobody is offended by too much politeness.
How do you politely ask someone to speak English?
"Parla inglese?" (PAR-lah een-GLEH-zeh?) — "do you speak English?". Lead with "excuse me" in the local language and it comes across as respectful.
About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.
Sources: Phrasebook: the Around the World team · Language-to-country: Around the World data