Italian Phrase Book
Good Morning/Good DayBuongiorno bwohn-jyohr-noh
Good EveningBuonasera bwoh-nah-seh-rah
Hello (friends)Ciao chah-oh
Hello (strangers)Salve sahl-veh
GoodbyeArrivederci ahr-ree-veh-dehr-chee
Yes Sì see
NoNo noh
Good (noun) bene beh-neh (adj.) buono
Very good/wellMolto bene mohl-tohbeh-neh
Italian (person)Italiano (m), Italiana (f)
Italian (language) Italiano
PleasePer favore pehr fah-voh-reh
Thank You Grazie grah-tsyeh
You’re WelcomePrego preh-goh
Excuse meScusiskoo-zee
Is it OK?D'accordo?
OK, alright D'accordo
Well then/In that case Allora ah-lohr-rah
Beautiful Bello
Boy Ragazzo rah-gaht-soh
GirlRagazza rah-gaht-sah
ManUomo oo-oh-moo
WomanDonna don-nah
Mr. Signore
Mrs. Signora
MissSignorina
Some Places/Sights we’ll see
Italy only became a unified country in the late 1800’s. Up until that time Italy was made up of city states who were constantly competing and warring with one another. This is how some of the great cathedrals and art were created – funded by patrons who wanted to prove that their city state was better than the others. You will notice the walls surrounding most of the cities to keep invaders out!
Italyl'Italia
Rome Roma
Florence Firenze
Cathedral/Important ChurchDuomo (we will see one in Siena and one in Florence)
Colosseum Colosseo
Victor Emmanuel MonumentilVittoriano (monument built to the first king of unified Italy)
The Vatican ilVaticano
Sistine Chapel cappella Sistina
St. Mark’s Square Piazza San Marco
St. Peter’s San Pietro
Pope Papa
Shopping /Free-time
EuroEuro eh-oo-roh
ExpensiveCaro cah-roh
InexpensiveA buonmercato
Eat Mangiare mahn-jyah-reh
Lunch ilpranzo eelprahn-tsoh
DeliciousSquisito skwee-zee-toh
I like Mipiace meepyah-cheh
I’d like…Vorrei vohr-ray
The Menuilmenu eel meh-noo
Coffeeilcaffè eelkahf-feh
Teailtè eelteh
Sugar lo zucchero lohdzook-keh-roh
Milkillatte eellaht-teh
Water (still)l'acquanaturale lah-kwah nah-too-rah-leh Also – “without gas” – sensa gas sehn-sahgahs
Water (fizzy) l'acquafrizzantelah-kwah free-dzahn-the Also – “with gas” – con gas kohngahs
The check (bill), please Il conto, per favore eelkohn-tohpehr fah-voh-reh
Where is the bathroom?Dov'èilbagno doh-veheel bah-nyoh
How much?Quant'è? kwahn-teh
Do you speak English? Parlainglese? pahr-laheen-gleh-zeh
I don’t speak Italian Non parloitaliano nohnpahr-lohee-tah-lyah-noh
I don’t understand Non capisco nohnkah-pee-skoh
Do you understand? Capisce? kah-pee-she
What time is it? Che ore sono? Keh-oh-rehsoh-noh
Help!Aiuto! Ah-yoo-toh
OneUno oo-noh
TwoDue doo-eh
ThreeTre treh
Four Quattro kwaht-troh
Five Cinque cheen-kweh
Top Italian Foods
Italy is known for its cuisine! The tomatoes you eat there will taste better than any tomatoes you’ve ever eaten. Italy is also famous for their olive oil, and it is the home of pasta and pizza. The ingredients are fresh and delicious!
Many restaurants will have several courses laid out on their menus. Most people only pick one course to eat – especially at lunch time.
Caprese kah-preh-she Sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil dressed with Olive Oil – often as a salad or appetizer
Prosciutto proh-shyoot-toh Cured ham, usually served with fresh cheese
La bisteccaallafiorentina lah bee-stehk-kahahl-lahfyoh-rehn-tee-nah Grilled T-bone steak, a specialty of Florence
Il Formaggio eelfohr-mah-djoh Cheese – there are more than 400 types of cheeses made in Italy!
-Pecorinopeh-koh-ree-noh made with sheep’s milk – very good in Tuscany
Pasta An Italian staple, with dozens of different kinds of pasta prepared hundreds of different ways
Pizza – usually made to feed one person. Many different flavors – here are a few:
Margherita – tomato, cheese, & basil or oregano, named after Italy’s 1st queen and has the National colors
Bianca – white
Marinara – tomato sauce, garlic, capers, oregano, sometimes anchovies
Desserts:
Biscotti bees-koht-tee Crunchy cookie for dipping into coffee
Cannoli kahn-noh-lee Crispy pastry tubes filled with sweetened ricotta and candied fruit
Gelato jeh-lah-toh The Italian version of ice cream – made from milk and sugar, not cream. Very dense and creamy – popular flavors include caffè (coffee), fragola (strawberry), frutti di bosco (mixed berries), gianduia (chocolate hazelnut), limone (lemon), nocciola (hazelnut), pistacchio, & vaniglia (vanilla). The best gelato is homemade from the shops that have fewer flavors.
Tiramisù Coffee- and rum-flavored layered dessert, a classic Italian treat
Student Exchange with the LiceoCarducci HighSchool in Pisa
HelloSalve sahl-veh or Ciao chah-oh
GoodbyeArrivederchi ahr-ree-veh-dehr-chee
My name is…Michiamo… meekyah-moh…
I am American (male)Sonoamericano soh-noh ah-meh-ree-kah-noh
I am American (female)Sonoamericana soh-noh ah-meh-ree-kah-nah
What is your name? Come sichiama? koh-meh see kyah-mah
How are you? Come sta? koh-mehstah
Nice to meet youPiacere pyah-cheh-reh
Fine, thanks Bene, grazie beh-nehgrah-tsyeh
FriendAmico ah-mee-koh
Very good/well Molto bene mohl-tohbeh-neh
OK, alright Dacordo
I’m a student Studio stoo-dyoh
Do you like...? Le piace...? leh pyah-cheh....
Music Musica moo-zee-kah
BandBanda bahn-da
Concert Concerto kohn-cher-to
Marching Band(They usually use the English “Marching Band”) Banda marciante bahn-da mar-chyan-teh
FluteFlauto fla-ow-toh
PiccoloOttavino oht-tah-vee-noh
OboeOboe oh-boh-weh
ClarinetClarinetto khlah-ree-net-toh
BassoonFagotto fah-goht-toh
MellophoneMellophone mee-loh-foh-neh
BaritoneCornibaritoni cor-nee bah-ree-toh-nee
TrumpetTromba trohm-bah
TubaTuba too-bah
Saxophone Sassofono sah-so-foh-noh
DrumsBatteria bah-teh-ree-yah
CymbalsPiatti pee-yah-tee
PercussionPercussione pehr-coo-syoh-neh
Timpani Timpani teem-pah-nee
XylophoneXilofono tsee-loh-foh-noh
Director Direttore dee-ree-tohr-reh
ConductorConduttore kun-doh-tohr-reh
ParadeParata pah-rah-tah
Color Guard(They usually use the English “Color Guard”) Guardia del colore gwahr-dyuh del koh-loh-reh
FlagBandiera bahn-dyeh-rah (when referring to marching band/drum corps they use the English “flag”)
RifleFucile foo-chee-leh
SabreSciabola chyah-bohl-ah
DanceDanza dahn-zah
Dance Rhythm Color (a way to describe color guard) Danzaritmocolore dahn-zahreet-mohkoh-loh-reh