170+ Key Italian Travel Phrases

About to go on that Italian trip of a lifetime? Don’t forget to take some key Italian travel phrases with you before you set off on your adventure!

Even if you haven’t planned a trip to Italy, these travel phrases will be useful for any Italian learner looking to add more words and phrases to their vocabulary!

This post will show you more than 170 of the most common Italian travel phrases, words and questions to help you prepare for any situation you might find yourself in while traveling.

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1. Essential Italian Phrases

There are some basic words every Italian learner should learn as soon as possible. Here are some Italian essentials to remember!

Italian	English
Sì	Yes
No	No
Forse	Maybe
Non lo so	I don't know
Penso di no	I don't think so
Ma certo!	Definitely!/Of course!
Per favore	Please
Grazie	Thank you
Prego	You're welcome
Scusa	Excuse me (informal)
Mi scusi	Excuse me (formal)
Mi dispiace	I'm sorry
Non parlo italiano	I don't speak Italian
Parli inglese?	Do you speak English? (Informal)
Parla inglese?	Do you speak English? (Formal)
Non capisco	I don't understand
Parli lentamente, per favore	Please speak slowly
Ripeta, per favore	Please repeat
Le presento...	This is ... (introduction)
Aspetta!	Wait!
Tranquilla/Tranquillo	Don't worry

2. Italian Greetings and Goodbyes 

It’s always polite to say hello and goodbye, no matter where in the world you are!

Remember these useful ways to say everything from “hi there” to “see you later!”

Italian	English
Buongiorno	Hello/Good morning
Buon pomeriggio	Good afternoon
Buonasera	Good evening
Buonanotte	Good night
Salve	Hello (formal)
Ciao	Hello/Bye (informal)
Arrivederci	Goodbye/Until we meet again (informal)
Arrivederla	Goodbye/Until we meet again (formal)
A più tardi	See you later
A presto	See you soon
Riguardati	Take care
Ci vediamo	See you
A dopo!	See you later (today)
Alla prossima	Until next time
Buona giornata	Have a good day
Buona serata	Have a good evening
Pronto	Ready; Hello (used when answering the phone)
Pronto, chi parla?	Hello, who's speaking?

With these phrases you’ll be able to greet and converse with any Italian you may meet!

Check out this video to see 10 essential phrases used by Italians everyday.

3. Making Small Talk in Italian

It’s always good to have some small talk phrases under your belt. Here are some phrases that’ll help you carry on a simple, casual conversation when you meet someone new.

Italian	English
Come ti chiami?	What's your name?
Mi chiamo...	My name is...
Piacere di conoscerti	Nice to meet you
Come va?	How's it going?
Come sta?	How are you? (formal)
Come stai?	How are you? (informal)
Bene	Fine
Molto bene, grazie	Very well, thank you
Così così	So-so
Dove abiti?	Where do you live?
Abito a...	I live in...
Sono di...	I'm from...
Che lavoro fai?	What's your job?
Allora	So...
Davvero	Really?

4. Asking for Directions in Italian

No matter how long you prepare for your trip— sooner or later, you’ll find yourself asking for directions.

Asking for directions starts with you approaching the other person with a “Mi scusi,” asking your question, then hearing the directions to your destination.

Here are some phrases that could help you navigate this conversation:

Italian	English
Mi sono perso/persa	I'm lost
Dove?	Where?
Dov'è...	Where is...
Il bagno	The bathroom
Il museo	The museum
Il teatro	The theater
Il supermercato	The supermarket
La stazione	The train station
L'aeroporto	The airport
La stazione di polizia	The police station
Il parco	The park
Il centro	The town center
Gira a destra	Turn right
Gira a sinistra	Turn left
Vai diritto	Go straight
Vai in quella direzione	Go that way
Vai indietro	Go back
Vicino	Near
Lontano	Far
Fermi qui, per favore	Please stop here

5. Italian Question Words

Some of the most important sentences you will hear are those that ask a question. Here are Italian question words that prefix Italian queries:

Italian	English
Chi?	Who?
Che?	What?
Quando?	When?
Dove?	Where?
Quale?	Which?
Come?	How?
Perché?	Why?
Quanto?	How much?

6. Italian Words for Shopping

Chances are that if you visit Italy, you’ll probably be doing some shopping. Here are some terms to know so you can get by:

Italian	English
Cerca qualcosa?	Are you looking for something?
Posso aiutarla	Can I help you?
Cosa sta cercando?	What are you looking for?
Posso dare un'occhiata?	May I take a look?
Dove sono i camerini?	Where are the changing rooms?
Quanto vuole per questo?	How much do you want for this?
Quanto costa?	How much does it cost?
È troppo caro	That's too expensive
È così economico	That's so cheap
C'è uno sconto?	Is there a discount?
Lo compro	I'll take it/I'll buy it
Altro?	Anything else?
Nient'altro, grazie	Nothing else, thank you

7. Italian Phrases for Eating Out

Italy is a land of good food and wine, so here are some words and phrases to help you have the best dining experience possible.

Italian	English
Quanti?	How many?
Posso prenotare un tavolo per due?	Can I book a table for two?
Cosa vuoi che facciamo?	What do you want us to make?
Antipasto	Appetizer
Primo	Main course
Secondo	Second course
Contorno	Side dish
Insalata	Salad
Il dolce	Dessert
Posso ordinare...	Can I order...
Da bere?	What do you want to drink?
C'è una specialità locale?	Is there a local specialty?
Vorrei ordinare un dolce	I would like to order dessert
Preferisco la bistecca al sangue/cotta al punto giusto/ben cotta	I like my steak rare/medium/well-done
Un altro, per favore	Another one, please
È delizioso / È squisito	It's delicious
Sono allergico/allergica...	I am allergic...
... alle noci.	...to nuts.
... al pesce.	...to fish/seafood.
... al glutine.	...to gluten.
... ai latticini.	...to dairy products.
Sono vegetariano/vegetariana	I'm a vegetarian.
Sono vegano/vegana	I'm a vegan.
Il conto, per favore	The check, please
Posso pagare con...	Can I pay by...
... la carta (di credito)?	...credit card?
... la carta di debito/il bancomat?	...debit card?
Posso pagare in contanti?	Can I pay by cash?

To learn more essential restaurant phrases and see them used in context by a native Italian speaker with Italian and English subtitles, check out this video.

By seeing these phrases used in context, you’ll quickly pick up on when and how to use them in your own conversations. 

8. Italian Words for Emergency Situations

Vacations can be unpredictable, so it’s good to know how to ask for help and communicate that there’s an emergency:

Italian	English
Aiuto!	Help!
C'è stato un incidente	There's been an accident
Chiamate un'ambulanza	Call an ambulance
Ospedale	Hospital
Farmacia	Pharmacy
Danno	Injury
Ferita	Wound
Dolore	Pain
Chiamate il pronto soccorso, per favore!	Call for first aid, please!
Chiama Uno, Uno, Otto!	Call 1-1-8 (Italy's emergency number)
Chiamate la polizia	Call the police
Sono stato assalito	I've been mugged
Ho perso il mio passaporto	I lost my passport
Dov'è l'ambasciata americana?	Where is the American embassy?

9. Numbers, Time and Days of the Week in Italian

If you’re learning Italian or planning on visiting Italy, then these words will be essential!

Italian	English
Uno	One
Due	Two
Tre	Three
Quattro	Four
Cinque	Five
Sei	Six
Sette	Seven
Otto	Eight
Nove	Nine
Dieci	Ten
Che ora è?	What's the time?
A che ora?	At what time?
Sono le...	It's...
Sono le quattro	It's 4 o'clock.
Sono le dieci	It's 10 o'clock.
È l'una *	It's one o'clock.
Sono le...e mezza	It's half past...
Sono le...e un quarto	It's quarter past...
Sono le...e quarantacinque / Sono le...e tre quarti / Sono le...meno un quarto	It's 45 minutes past.../Quarter to...
Sono le...meno dieci/cinque	It's ten minutes/five minutes to...
Di mattina	In the morning
Del pomeriggio	In the afternoon
Di sera	In the evening
Di notte	At night
Mezzogiorno	Midday/noon
Mezzanotte	Midnight
Che giorno è oggi?	What day is it today?
Lunedì	Monday
Martedì	Tuesday
Mercoledì	Wednesday
Giovedì	Thursday
Venerdì	Friday
Sabato	Saturday
Domenica	Sunday
Il weekend / Il fine settimana	The weekend

*The only time in Italian that uses the singular “è…” is one o’clock. For example: “È l’una” (It’s one o’clock) but all the other times use the plural form “Sono le…” in Italian. Check out this post for a more in-depth guide to telling the time in Italian.

As you can see, knowing how to count and say numbers in Italian is useful for many different situations. To learn more numbers in Italian, you can read about them in this post. 

10. Transport Words and Phrases in Italian

If you’re traveling in Italy, it’s likely you’ll have to travel in il taxi or il treno at least once! 

Take a look at these phrases below to learn different ways of traveling and how to buy and book a ticket in Italian.

Italian	English
La macchina	Car
L'autobus	Bus
Il treno	Train
La metropolitana	Metro
Il taxi	Taxi/Cab
Un biglietto	A ticket
Un biglietto di solo andata	One-way ticket
Un biglietto di andata e ritorno	Round-trip ticket
Dove posso comprare un biglietto?	Where can I buy a ticket?
Vorrei comprare un biglietto per...	I would like to buy a ticket to...
Qual è la prossima fermata?	What is the next stop?

Now that you know these phrases for transport in Italian, you’re ready to travel!

But before you go, make sure you watch this video for travel tips for your trip to Italy.

Tips for Learning Italian Phrases

1. Read them out loud.

The best way to master basic Italian phrases is by practicing them in actual conversation with others; however, you may not have access to an Italian speaking partner. 

If this is the case, you can still get a bit of practice in saying these phrases by simply reading them out loud. Hearing yourself say these phrases is an essential step to learning them.

2. Role-play them in different contexts.

In addition to saying the same words or phrases in different ways, you can role-play them in different contexts.

Try to write out a sample dialogue of a situation that would actually use some of these phrases. Then, you can read them aloud and practice being on both sides of the conversation.

Going through this process helps you remember them more and playing both sides doubles your practice time. 

3. Immerse yourself in Italian media

The more exposure to Italian you get, the quicker you’ll pick up on the language.

Try watching Italian movies, listening to Italian music or reading Italian books. All of these are sure to contain the phrases from these posts and much more. 

You can also try using FluentU to learn Italian phrases and vocabulary in context.

4. Practice with a native speaker.

Having a language exchange partner will give you the opportunity to practice the basic Italian phrases that you know and receive feedback on how you’re doing from a native speaker.

If you don’t know any native speakers personally, you can quickly find a conversation partner online on a site like HelloTalk or Tandem.

5. Use them in your everyday conversations.

Try to find as many opportunities as possible to use basic Italian phrases in your daily routines.

A great way to practice without having to find a language partner is by thinking or narrating what you’re doing in Italian. 

6. Use flashcards.

If you’re having difficulty memorizing Italian words, phrases and expressions, invest the time in making flashcards. 

This classic method really does work and you can choose to do it the old-fashioned way by making your cards by hand or there are several apps available to make them with your phone such as those listed in this post.

 

Now you have everything you need to navigate basic situations in Italian! 

Buon viaggio! (Safe journey!)

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)