Hellos & goodbyes
- Ciao — informal hello/goodbye, used with people you know.
- Salve — slightly formal hello (any time of day). The default when you walk into a shop.
- Buongiorno — good morning/afternoon, used until ~5pm.
- Buonasera — good evening, used after ~5pm.
- Buonanotte — goodnight (only when actually heading to sleep).
- Arrivederci — goodbye, formal.
- A dopo — see you later (within hours).
- A domani — see you tomorrow.
Ordering at a bar or restaurant
- Vorrei un caffè, per favore — I'd like an espresso, please. (Note: un caffè = espresso.)
- Un cappuccino — and only before 11am, if you don't want raised eyebrows.
- Il conto, per favore — the bill, please. (You usually have to ask; bills aren't auto-delivered.)
- Posso pagare con la carta? — can I pay by card? (Most places yes; some old-school bars still want cash.)
- Da portare via — to take away.
- Acqua naturale / frizzante — still / sparkling water. You'll be asked.
- Sono allergico/a a… — I'm allergic to… (Use -o if male, -a if female.)
Polite essentials
- Per favore / Per piacere — please.
- Grazie / Grazie mille — thank you / thanks a lot.
- Prego — you're welcome (also "please go ahead," "after you," or "how can I help you" depending on context).
- Mi scusi — excuse me (formal). To get attention or apologise.
- Permesso — excuse me, when squeezing past someone in a crowded space.
- Parla inglese? — do you speak English? (Increasingly: yes, in cities.)
Transit, directions, paperwork
- Dov'è…? — where is…?
- A che ora apre / chiude? — what time does it open/close?
- Quanto costa? — how much does it cost?
- Mi può aiutare? — can you help me? (Formal — useful at the Questura.)
- Non capisco — I don't understand.
- Può ripetere, per favore? — could you repeat that, please?
- Sto cercando… — I'm looking for…
- Sono qui in vacanza / per lavoro / per studio — I'm here on holiday / for work / for study.
Niceties & small talk
- Come stai? / Come va? — how are you? / how's it going?
- Bene, grazie. E tu? — well, thanks. And you?
- Mi chiamo… — my name is…
- Piacere — nice to meet you.
- Sono di… — I'm from…
- Vivo in Italia da [tre mesi] — I've been living in Italy for [three months].
- Buon weekend! / Buona giornata! — have a good weekend / day.
Useful regional notes
Italian has thousands of regional dialects, but standard Italian (italiano standard) is universally understood. A few regional flavours you'll hear:
- Romans drop final vowels and aspirate hard consonants ("annamo a casa" instead of "andiamo a casa").
- Milanese speak fast, with cleaner consonants — easiest for foreign ears.
- Neapolitans use Neapolitan (Napoletano), a separate language; standard Italian is also spoken but with melodic intonation.
- Sicilians use Sicilian (also a separate language) at home; standard Italian in business and with foreigners.
If you stay long-term, learn the local greeting and one local food phrase — Italians warm to it instantly.
Practical tip
Two non-obvious tips: (1) When entering a shop, always say "Salve" or "Buongiorno" — silence is rude. (2) When leaving without buying, say "Grazie, arrivederci" — locals do, even after browsing for two minutes.
More on Italy: Browse our 10 culture essays, or jump to a city guide for practical info on where to live.