When you first arrive in Italy, speaking to locals in Italian might feel intimidating.
What if you don’t understand what someone says? What if you can’t remember how to say… well: “how do you say?”
The good news is, to communicate in Italian you don’t need thousands of words.
With surprisingly limited vocabulary, you can get your message across. It doesn’t have to be worthy of Dante. It just has to be effective.
Here you’ll first learn a few basic Italian phrases that will help you get unstuck and keep the conversation flowing. No more having to reply in English straight away!
In the second part, you’ll learn some powerful phrases that will help you really start communicating in Italian in real life situations.
But… what should you do if you don’t understand Italian?
Basic Phrases for when You Don’t Understand Italian
We all know that feeling. Someone’s just said something to you in Italian and you have absolutely no idea what they meant. Mind blank. Did they want something? Were they telling you something you need to know?
If you’re worried you might miss something important, you can politely ask:
Parla inglese? - Do you speak English?
Or you could even explain that you don’t speak Italian:
Non parlo italiano. Parla inglese? - I don’t speak Italian. Do you speak English?
You’ll notice the key word in these phrases is “parlare” - to speak. In Italian, the verb endings change depending on who speaks. In those phrases there was:
Parlo - “I speak”
Parla - “You speak” (Formal)
When you don’t know someone in Italian, generally it’s best to use the you “formal” version, parla. We do have the informal “you” version: parli - but that’s best for if you’re speaking to a friend, or someone much younger.
Parla inglese? - Do you speak English (talking to a stranger)
Parli inglese? - Do you speak English? (talking to a friend)
In answering this question, Italians might say:
Sì - “Yes”
Un po’ - “A little”
No, mi dispiace - “No, sorry”
So, what if they don’t speak English? Or if you want to keep the conversation going in Italian? After all, that’s what we’re here to do: learn Italian!
Basic Phrases to Keep the Conversation Going in Italian
Imagine you’re just beginning a conversation and you didn’t quite understand what someone said. You almost understood though.
It would seem a shame to try to switch straight to English, right? And what if they don’t understand English?
With these basic phrases you’ll be able to get Italians to help you to communicate.
If you don’t understand something in Italian, you can always say:
Scusi, non ho capito - “Sorry, I don’t understand.”
Literally that would be:
Scusi - excuse me
Non ho - I haven’t
Capito - understood
Keep in mind that saying non ho capito might lead well-meaning Italians to switch to English. If you want to encourage them to reply in Italian, try specifying exactly how you’d like them to help, for example:
Può ripetere? - “Can you repeat?”
Più piano, per favore. - “More slowly, please.”
But what if you still don’t understand them? It quickly becomes awkward if you’re asking someone to repeat or speak slower several times.
A Pro Tip to Keep the Conversation Alive (and Learn New Words!)
A handy way to keep the conversation going in Italian is to repeat the word you don’t know in a slow, questioning sort of way. Let’s look at an example:
Italian: Viene spesso in Italia? - “Do you come spesso to Italy?”
You: Hmm… spesso….?
Italian: Spesso, come, frequentemente. - “Spesso, as in, frequently”.
You:
Ah! Spesso. Ho capito. - “Ah! Often. I understand.”
Sì, vengo spesso. - “Yes, I come often.”
By repeating a word you don’t understand, you give the person you’re speaking to a chance to rephrase their sentence. That means they’ll probably explain what they mean, or give a similar word that you’re more likely to understand.
In this case, if you didn’t know that spesso means “often”, the word frequentemente, which sounds much more like the English word “frequently” would give you a helpful clue!
What If You Forget a Word?
Once you understand what someone says, you’ll have to respond. But… what was that word again? Suddenly it’s like all the Italian has disappeared from your head and you're struggling to find even basic phrases.
A great way to ask for help from Italians, rather than switching straight to English, is to ask “how to say” something:
Come si dice….? - “How do you say…?”
As in:
Come si dice “tomorrow” in Italiano? - How do you say “tomorrow” in Italian?
How do you say “tomorrow” in Italian? Do you remember?
“Tomorrow”, è domani - “Tomorrow” is domani
In this way, not only will you keep the conversation going, you’ll also learn a new word in a natural way - something Italians are usually happy to help with.
Once you feel like you’ve mastered your basic phrases in Italian, you’re ready to practise. But as you know, it’s not always easy to keep the conversation in Italian!
Italians Keep Speaking To Me in English! Help!
Inglese?
NO! I mean… yes, but… please let’s speak in Italian!
When you want to practise your Italian in Italy it can sometimes feel like the world is against you. Every time you use your Italian on a trip, the waiter… the concierge… even the taxi driver replies in English. It’s un incubo! A nightmare.
But the secret to getting Italians to speak in Italian is easier than you think.
Just ask!
Here’s how to do that in Italian:
Possiamo parlare in italiano, per favore? - “Can we speak in Italian, please?”
It’s polite and straight to the point. Most Italians will be happy to switch to their native language if you ask them directly. You can also explain:
Vorrei imparare - “I’d like to learn”
Everyone knows that if you don’t practise, you’ll never learn. As soon as they realise you’re trying to improve your Italian skills, people will often go out of their way to help you. It’s that simple!
Of course, every so often you’ll meet Italians who want to practise their English… well, there’s always a bit of give and take. And a waiter rushed off their feet might be less willing to help compared to a pensioner in the park enjoying the sunshine. But as long as you pick your moments, this phrase should give you plenty of opportunities to practise your Italian.
One more phrase you might find really useful is how to answer if someone asks you:
Parla italiano? - “Do you speak Italian?”
If you want to practise, but aren’t super confident, you could say something like this:
Non parlo bene… ma ci provo! - “I don’t speak well… but I’ll try!”
Again, once Italians know you’re keen to learn they’re sure to speak more slowly and give you a few tips.
Now you’ve learned how to deal with some tricky situations in Italian. But what about actually doing what you need to do in Italy, like paying for stuff or finding your way to a toilet?
There’s no shortcut here - learning a language takes time after all, but these 5 powerful phrases are the closest thing there is…
Power Phrases: Basic Phrases to Communicate Instantly
Want a coffee? To pay? To get to the subway?
There are a few phrases in Italian that allow you to do a lot of things. You might call these words “power phrases”, because you can use them in so many different situations. You’ve already met the first one in this blog!
I’d like…
Remember this phrase from earlier?
Vorrei imparare - “I’d like to learn”
Vorrei means “I would like”.
You can combine vorrei with other words to make a complete sentence, without having to learn much grammar at all. It’s so easy to use! Try it out when you want to order something:
Vorrei un caffè - “I’d like a coffee”
Or when you’re ready to pay:
Vorrei pagare - “I’d like to pay”
All you need to do is look up the word for whatever you want and combine it with vorrei - just like that, you’re communicating in Italian. Here are a few more typical examples:
Vorrei una birra - “I’d like a beer”
Vorrei un tavolo - “I’d like a table”
Vorrei una camera - “I’d like a room”
Because vorrei is such an important and useful word, it’s good to know how to pronounce it right! Here are a couple of tips:
- Did you notice the double RR in vorrei? That’s the famous Italian rolled R. To pronounce it like a pro, check out this post on how to roll your Rs in Italian.
- The ei ending sounds a lot like the ending in “ray” or “May”.
Time for our next useful word…
Can I…?
In Italian, “I can” is:
Posso
To pose the question “can I”, Italians use the exact same word, but with a tone of voice that sounds like a question:
Posso…? - “Can I…?”
This word is similar to vorrei, because you can use it with any verb. Let’s say you want to pay for something. Just add the word pagare (to pay):
Posso pagare? - “Can I pay?”
Using posso is especially helpful when you want to ask permission to do something.
Here are a few more examples:
Posso prendere questo? - “Can I take this?”
Posso ordinare? - “Can I order?”
Posso aiutare? - “Can I help?”
When it comes to the pronunciation, remember to say make the double ss nice and long. Posssssssso.
Where is…?
What if you’re a bit lost? To know “where is…?” is incredibly useful when you’re travelling in Italy and need to navigate in Italian.
Dov’è…? - “Where is…?”
You can use this one just like in English. Just add the thing you’re looking for and Italians will point you in the right direction.
Dov’è la metro? - “Where’s the subway?”
Dov’è il bagno? - “Where’s the bathroom?”
That little accent on the è means we need to add a lot of emphasis to that part, so be sure to really push onto the last part of the phrase: dov’È.
Is there…?
Imagine you’ve just arrived in a new town in Italy. If you want to know what’s in the area, this phrase will come in very handy.
C’è…? - “Is there…?”
You can use this basic phrase to say things like:
C’è un ristorante? - “Is there a restaurant?”
C’è una pizzeria? - “Is there a pizzeria?”
C’è una farmacia? - “Is there a pharmacy?”
And a classic question you might need in lots of different situations…
C’è un bagno? - “Is there a bathroom?”
How do you pronounce this funny little word? It sounds a lot like the beginning of the English “chess”. Cut off the “ss” and just say “che”. That’s it!
Do you have…?
Finally, let’s imagine you want to ask for something, like a menu. To find out if someone has what you need, you can say:
Avete…? - “Do you have…?”
This phrase comes in especially handy in restaurants:
Avete un tavolo per due? - “Do you have a table for two?”
Avete un menu? - “Do you have a menu?”
Avete un’opzione vegetariana? - “Do you have a vegetarian option?”
Avete is in fact the plural form, as in: “do you (guys) have…?” It’s quite natural to ask someone who works in a restaurant: avete un menu? because there’s usually a group of people working there.
What if you were in a small local shop with just one person working there? In this case, you’d use the singular form: ha
Ha un’altra taglia? - “Do you have another size?”
Ben fatto! Well done! Now you know these five power phrases, you can combine them with what you need or are looking for to “get by” in loads of different situations.
Before testing your knowledge of what you’ve learned in our quiz, here’s a quick review!
8 Basic Phrases to Get Unstuck in Italian: Review
In this lesson, you learned some handy phrases for managing a conversation in Italian:
Parla inglese? - “Do you speak English?”
Possiamo parlare in italiano, per favore? - “Can we speak in Italian, please?”
Vorrei imparare - “I’d like to learn”
If you don’t understand you can say:
Scusi, non ho capito - “Sorry, I don’t understand”
Può ripetere? - Can you repeat?
Più piano, per favore. - “Slower, please”
Può parlare più piano, per favore? - “Can you talk more slowly, please?”
Or repeat the word you didn’t quite get in a slow, questioning tone of voice!
And finally, to ask “how you say” something, use this phrase:
Come si dice…? - “How do you say…?”
In the last section, you learned the “power phrases” - basic phrases to get you through the most common situations you might find yourself in when visiting Italy. They were:
Posso…? - “Can I…?”
Posso pagare? - “Can I pay?”
Vorrei… - “I’d like…”
Vorrei un caffè. - “I’d like a coffee”
Dov’è…? - “Where is…?”
Dov’è il bagno? - “Where’s the bathroom?”
C’è…? - “Is there…?”
C’è un ristorante? - “Is there a restaurant?”
Avete…? - “Do you have…?”
Avete un menu? - “Do you have a menu?”
All set? Now head over to our quiz to test what you’ve learned!
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Vocabulary: 8 Basic Phrases to Get Unstuck in Italian
Un po' = a little
No, mi dispiace = no, sorry
Più piano, per favore = more slowly, please.
Come si dice...? = how do you say...?
Non parlo bene… ma ci provo! = I don’t speak well… but I’ll try!
Posso ordinare? = can I order?
Dov’è il bagno? = where’s the bathroom?
Parla inglese? = do you speak English?
Possiamo parlare in italiano? = can we speak in Italian?
Vorrei imparare = I’d like to learn
Scusi, non ho capito = sorry, I didn’t understand
Può ripetere, per favore? = can you repeat, please?
Quiz: 8 Basic Phrases to Get Unstuck in Italian
How much did you learn? Find out in the quiz!
Click here to take the quiz for this episode: 8 Basic Phrases to Get Unstuck in Italian
Flashcards: 8 Basic Phrases to Get Unstuck in Italian
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Transcript: 8 Basic Phrases to Get Unstuck in Italian
Please note, this is not a word for word transcript.
K: Ciao a tutti e benvenuti! Hi everyone and welcome to “Learn Italian with Joy of Languages”. Matteo, today we’re going in vacanza. On holiday, or vacation.
M: Amazing. I love le vacanze! Where are we going?
K: To Italy!
M: But Katie… we’re in Italy already!
K: Not a real vacanza for us… If you’re listening at home, we know you might be planning on visiting Italy soon or in future. So in the next few episodes, we’ll take you on a tour of some common Italian phrases for travel.
K: What’s the most important phrase that every Italian learner should know when they go to Italy on holiday?
M: Oh that’s easy. Paga la mia ragazza.
K: No, that means “my girlfriend is paying…”.
M: Esatto, exactly.
K: Let’s move onto some more useful phrases. I’ll say the English and Matteo will translate them to Italian. As you’re listening, if you already know them, try to say them in the pause, and if you don’t, no worries! Say them with Matteo, trying to get your pronunciation as close to his as possible.
M: Cominciamo!
K: Let’s start.
K: Yes
…
M: Sì (x 3)
K: No
…
M: No (x 3)
K: Do you speak English?
…
M: Parla inglese?
K: I feel like this is the mark of a polite and respectful tourist. If you know you’ll need to do most of the communication in English, it’s nice to ask first, rather than assuming.
M: Parla inglese? (x 3)
K: Parla means “you speak” in the formal address. It’s the form we use when speaking to people we don’t know, for example, staff in shops and restaurants. As this series is all about travel phrases for these kinds of situations, we’ll be using the formal address throughout.
M: But maybe you want to practise your Italian!
K: In this case, you could say: Can we speak in Italian?
…
M: Possiamo parlare in italiano? (x 3)
K: I’d like to learn
…
M: Vorrei imparare (x 3)
K: A lot of learners complain that Italians switch to English as soon as they say anything, cutting their chance to practice short. It can feel frustrating when that happens. The best thing is be direct and explain that you want to practise. This also takes the pressure off, because you’re the first one to say “I’m learning”, so no one is expecting you to be perfect. It’s ok to make mistakes.
Let’s try that whole phrase together. Can we speak in Italian? I’d like to learn.
M: Possiamo parlare in italiano? Vorrei imparare.
Most Italians will be really pleased that you’re learning their language, and happy to help! All you need to do is say: Possiamo parlare in italiano? Vorrei imparare.
K: Once you’ve won Italians over, you might find that you don’t quite understand everything. So, a good way to keep the conversation going is to just repeat what you heard in a questioning tone of voice.
K: Let’s give an example of that. Someone might ask you:
M: Vieni spesso in Italia?
K: Hmm… Spesso?
M: Ah, spesso, come “frequentemente”
K: OK, spesso - to help me understand the word spesso, Matteo said a similar word frequentemente, which sounds a lot like “frequently”. That means “often”, got it. Sì, vengo spesso!
This technique lets Italians know which part of their sentence they need to repeat, or if necessary translate to English.
If you really didn’t understand anything, you can just say “sorry, I didn’t understand”:
…
M: scusi, non ho capito (x 3)
K: But be careful when saying that phrase alone, because it might encourage Italians to switch to English, thinking that they’re being helpful. If you want to keep the conversation going in Italian, you can ask: Can you repeat, please?
…
M: Può ripetere, per favore? (x 3)
K: Sorry, Matteo, can you repeat that?
M: Certo! Può ripetere, per favore?
K: Fantastic, grazie Matteo. We’ll continue next time with how to meet, greet and be polite in Italian.
If you want to see everything written down, and get bonus materials, like vocabulary cards and a quiz, head over to our website joyoflanguages.com/italianpodcast and search for episode 95.
M - See you next time.
K - Or as we say in Italian.
Alla prossima!
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