Common Italian Phrases

The modern Italian language finds its roots all the way till the Latin, which was once used by the Roman Empire.

In many European countries, it's not an unknown fact that people know two, three, and sometimes four different languages. However, in the United States, it will be a rare that someone knows perhaps more than one or two languages. When people travel abroad to any foreign countries, it is helpful to know some passing or common phrases to make the journey easy.

There are many travel books where there are formal or informal pronunciations from English to different languages. To help the transition to a completely unknown country and make your vacation that much enjoyable, you should definitely learn some simple words and phrases.

Learning a completely different language, when you haven't even heard a word before, can be frustrating at times. Which is why there are somewhat funny phrases and words are mentioned with proper pronunciation in brackets.

Misses, Miss » Signora, Signorina
(seen-yoh-rah, seen-yoh-reen-ah)
Mister » Signore
(seen-yoh-reh)
Please » Per favore
(pehr fah-voh-ray)
Thanks, Thank you » Grazie
(grah-tseeay)
Yes » Si
(see)
No » no
(noh)
Excuse me » Mi scusi
(mee skoo-zee)
Hello » Buon giorno
(bwon jor-noh)

Bad » Male
(mah-lay)
Bye » Arrivederci
(ah-ree-vuh-dare-chee)
You're welcome » Prego
(Pray-go)
Bless you» Salute
(sah-loo-teh)
Congratulations »Congratulazioni
(kohn-grah-tsoo-lah-tsee-oh-nee)
Welcome » Benvenuti!
(behn-veh-noo-tee)
That » Quello
(kweh-loh)
This/These » Questo/Questi
(kweh-stoh/kweh-stee)

Yesterday » Ieri
(ee-air-ee)
Today » Oggi
(oh-jee)
Tomorrow » Domani
(doh-mah-nee)
What? » Quale?
(kwal-eh)
Where? » Dove?
(doh-ve)
Breakfast » Colzaione
(koh-lah-tsee-oh-neh)
Lunch » Pranzo
(prawn-tsoh)
Dinner » Cena
(che-nah)

Waiter » Cameriere
(cah-mair-ee-air-eh)
Garlic » aglio
(ah-lee-oh)
Steak » la bistecca
(lah-bee-steh-kah)
Coffee » Il caffe
(eel kah-feh)
Cheese » Formaggio
(eel for-mah-joh)

Ice cream » Gelato
(eel jeh-lah-toh)
Milk » Latte
(lah-tay)
Bread » Pane
(pah-neh)
Knife » Coltello
(kol-tell-oh)
Fork » Forchetta
(for-ket-tah)
Spoon » Cucchiahio
(koo-kee-eye-oh)
One » Uno
(ooh-noh)
Two » Due
(doo-eh)

Three » Tre
(treh)
Four » Quattro
(kwa-troh)
Five » Cinque
(cheen-kweh)
Six » Sei
(say)
Seven » Sette
(seh-teh)
Eight » Otto
(oh-toh)
Nine » Nove
(noh-veh)
Ten » Dieci
(dee-eh-che)
Twenty » Dodici
(doh-dee-chee)

Thirty » Tredici
(treh-deen-chee)
Forty » Quattordici
(kwah-tor-dee-chee)
Fifty » Quindici
(kwin-dee-chee)
Sixty » Sessanta
(seh-sahn-tah)
Seventy » Settanta
(seh-tahn-tah)
Eighty » Ottanta
(oh-tahn-tah)
Ninety » Novanta
(noh-vahn-tah)
One hundred » Cento
(Chen-toh)

One hour » Un'ora
(oon-oh-rah)
One minute » Un minuto
(oohn mee-noo-tah)
Monday » Lunedi
(loo-neh-dee)
Tuesday » Martedi
(mar-teh-dee)
Wednesday » Mercoledi
(mair-koh-leh-dee)
Thursday » Giovedi
(gee-oh-veh-dee)
Friday » Venerdi
(ven-aire-dee)
Saturday » Sabato
(sah-bah-toh)
Sunday » Domenica
(doh-men-ee-kah)

Holiday » Vancaza
(vah-cahn-zaa)
I love you » Ti amo
(tee ah-moh)
How are you? » Come sta?
(kome staa)
I am good » Stoh behn-ay
(stow benay)
Alright » Va bene
(vaa benay)
Do you speak Italian » Parli italiano
(paar-lee italia-noh)
I don't know » Non lo so
(non low so)
Do you understand? » Capisce
(kah-pee-sheh)

What's your name » Come ti chiami
(koh-meh tee kee-ah-mee)
I would like » Vorrei
(voh-ray)
Where is... » Dov'è...?
(doh-veh)
What's the matter? » Cosa succede
(ko-saa suck-see-day)
Nice meeting you » Nizza incontrarvi
(knee-za in-con-trar-vee)
I love Italy » Amo I'ltalia
(aa-mo ee-tah-lyah)
Where are you from? » Di dove è
(dee doh-veh eh)

I am from... » Sono di...
(so-no dee)
What time is it » Che ore sono
(chay oo-ray so-no)
How much is this » Quanto è questo
(kwan-toh a kwes-toh)
Do you speak English » Lei parla inglese(lay par-la ing-leh-se)
I'm just looking » Sto solo cercando
(stoh solo sir-can-doh)
Can I help you? » Posso aiutarti
(poo-so aeu-taar-tee)

Whenever you are facing with speaking or pronouncing these phrases or any other language for that matter, don't be embarrassed to point, mime, draw, or write them out. It's completely alright to make mistakes.

What counts is the effort you put into it, and this will make you proud of yourself, that at least you tried to learn a new language and came out of your comfort zone. So, go ahead and have fun with it!