120+ Basic Italian Words for Tourists and Travel You Need to Know
Planning a trip to Italy this year? Review these top 120+ basic Italian words for tourists and travel to help you get around a little easier. These are the common Italian words to know to avoid standing out as a helpless tourist!
In a world where Google Translate is at our fingertips at all times, the days of learning a language before you travel are long behind us. But just because you can translate what you need to say at any time doesn’t mean you want to. Whipping out your phone every time you order an espresso? It’s a little embarrassing, and paints a giant flashing billboard over your head that screams “I’m a tourist!” Thankfully, Italian is a fairly easy language to pick up, and with just a few basic Italian words for tourists and travel in your back pocket, you can get through a lot of daily interactions without needing Google’s help. After spending five weeks in Italy, we compiled a list of the most common Italian words to know before your upcoming vacation.
Visiting Florence, Naples, Capri, or Positano on your trip? Check out our fully premade itineraries for each city available at the links below to make planning your vacation there a breeze. We’ve also got a slew of other helpful posts in our Italy travel guides here, including top bars and restaurants, tour reviews, and more:
No Time to Read Now? Pin this Post for Later!
Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you visit a link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we trust, and all opinions are our own.
Basic Italian Words for Tourists and Travel You Need to Know:
Basic Italian Words for Tourists and Travel
We’ve broken up our list of common Italian words for tourists to know into logical categories below to help you digest things easier. Each word or phrase in English is followed by the equivalent in Italian as well as a phonetic spelling afterwards, to help you pronounce it properly. As always with our blog, the foreign language words will be in italics. When relevant, we’ve included some helpful notes on when it’s appropriate (or not) to use the word or phrase.
Without further ado, let’s learn some basic Italian words for tourists and travel!
The Basics
Let’s start off with something simple – everyday basics like “hello,” “goodbye,” “please,” and “thank you” – arguably the most important Italian words to know! Many Italian greetings are for specific times of day, but when in doubt, you can always use ciao.
- Hello/Hi – Ciao – CHOW (informal, good for any time of day)
- Good morning – Buongiorno – bwohn-JOHR-noh (use before 2pm)
- Good evening – Buonasera – bwoh-nah-SEH-rah (use after 2pm)
- Good night – Buonanotte – bwoh-nah-NOHT-teh (this one’s just for the end of the night)
- Goodbye – Arrivederci – ah-ree-veh-DEHR-chee
- See you later – A dopo – ah DOH-poh
- Nice to meet you – Piacere – pyah-CHEH-ray
- Please – Per favore – pehr fah-VOH-ray (always pays to be polite!)
- Thank you – Grazie – GRAHT-tsyeh (the most important)
- You’re welcome – Prego – PREH-goh (heads up – this also means “after you”)
- Yes – Sì – SEE
- No – No – NOH
- Excuse me/beg pardon – Permesso – pehr-MESS-soh (for passing through a crowd)
- I’m sorry – Mi dispiace – mee dee-SPYAH-cheh
- I don’t speak Italian – Non parlo italiano – nohn PAR-loh ee-tah-LYAH-noh
- Do you speak English? – Parla inglese? – PAR-lah een-GLAY-zeh?
- Are dogs allowed? – Sono ammessi i cani? – SOH-noh ahm-MES-see ee KAH-nee?
Getting Around
Google Maps not working? These basic Italian words for tourists and travel will help you out in a pinch.
- Where is…? – Dov’è…? – doh-VEH…?
- How do I get to…? – Come arrivo a…? – KOH-meh ahr-REE-voh ah…?
- I’m lost – Mi sono perso/a – mee SOH-no PEHR-soh/PEHR-sah (o if you’re male, a if you’re female)
- Left – Sinistra – see-NEES-trah
- Right – Destra – DEH-strah
- Straight ahead – Dritto – DREET-toh
- Near – Vicino – vee-CHEE-noh
- Far – Lontano – lon-TAH-noh (where-eeeever you are)
- Train – Treno – TREH-noh (and the metro is just metro, so you get a freebie there)
- Bus – Autobus – OW-toh-boos (and taxi is just taxi, so another easy one)
- Airport – Aeroporto – ah-eh-roh-POHR-toh
- Train station – Stazione – stah-TSYOH-neh
- Platform – Binario – bee-NAH-ree-oh
- Stop – Fermata – fehr-MAH-tah (bus/train stop)
- A ticket for… – Un biglietto per – oon bee-LYET-toh pehr (to purchase a train ticket, followed by the name of your destination)
- One-way – Solo andata – SOH-loh ahn-DAH-tah
- Round trip – Andata e ritorno – ahn-DAH-tah eh ree-TOR-no
- When does it leave? – Quando parte? – KWAHN-doh PAR-teh?
- When does it arrive? – Quando arriva? – KWAHN-doh ahr-REE-vah?
We highly recommend traveling by train in Italy when possible – it’s sustainable, affordable, but most importantly, SO much easier than flying. Say goodbye to early check-in times and long security lines! Just show up a few minutes early with your bag and walk right on – smooth and simple. We recommend Omio for easy research and train ticket bookings.
Drinking and Dining
We all know the best part about visiting Italy is all the incredible food. Here are the basic Italian words to know to order it. Bonus – if you’re traveling to Florence, make sure to check out our post on all the delicious foods of the traditional cuisine of the region.
- Restaurant – Ristorante, Trattoria, or Osteria – ree-STOH-rahn-teh, trah-toh-REE-ah, OH-steh-REE-ah (check out the linked post above to learn more about the differences)
- A table for two – Un tavolo per due – OON tah-VOH-lo pehr DOO-eh
- Menu – Menù – meh-NOO
- Waiter/Waitress – Cameriere / Cameriera – kah-meh-ree-EH-reh
- Excuse me –Mi scusi – mee SKOO-zee (to grab a waiter’s attention)
- I’d like…(to order) – Vorrei… – vor-RAY…
- What do you recommend? – Cosa consiglia? – KOH-zah con-SEE-lyah
- Where is the bathroom? – Dov’è il bagno? – doh-VEH eel BAH-nyoh?
- Can I pay? – Posso pagare? – POH-soh pah-GAH-ray
- The bill/check – Il conto – EEL KON-toh
- Water (still/sparkling) – Acqua naturale/frizzante – AH-kwah nah-too-RAH-leh / FREE-tsan-teh
- Wine (red/white) – Vino rosso/bianco – VEE-no ROH-so/BEE-ahn-koh
- Glass (water, wine) – Bicchiere – bee-KYEH-ray
- Beer – Birra – BEER-rah
- Cheers! – Salute! – sah-LOO-teh (to your health!)
- Delicious – Delizioso! – deh-LEET-syo-zoh
- I’m allergic to… – Sono allergico/a a… – SOH-noh ah-lehr-JEE-koh/kah AH
- Vegetarian – Vegetariano/a – veh-jeh-tah-REE-ah-no/nah
- Gluten-free – Senza glutine – SEN-zah glue-TEE-neh (senza works as “without” for any other ingredients you don’t want, too)
Shopping
Whether you’re buying a handmade leather purse in Florence or just some Advil at the market, here are some common Italian words for tourists to help you complete your purchase.
- What is this? – Che cos’è questo? – keh koh-ZEH KWEH-stoh?
- How much does it cost? – Quanto costa? – KWAHN-toh KOH-stah?
- Do you have change? – Avete del resto? – ah-VEH-teh del REH-stoh?
- Do you accept credit card? – Accettate la carta di credito? – ah-cheht-TAH-teh lah KAR-tah dee CREH-dee-toh?
- Do you have…? – Avete…? – ah-VEH-teh…?
- Where can I find…? – Dove posso trovare…? – DOH-veh POS-soh troh-VAH-reh…?
- I’m just looking – Do solo un’occhiata – DOH SOH-loh oon ohk-KYAH-tah
- Can I try it on? – Posso provarlo? – POH-soh proh-VAR-loh
- I’ll take it – Lo prendo – loh PREHN-doh
- Size – Taglia – TAH-lyah (Clothing)
- Do you have this in a small/medium/large – Ce l’ha in un piccola/media/grande – cheh LAH een oon PEEK-koh-lah/MEH-dyah/GRAHN-deh
- Open – Aperto – ah-PEHR-toh
- Closed – Chiuso – kee-OO-zoh
Italy is an excellent place to shop, with different regions specializing in different products. We bought the most incredible leather jackets while in Florence, and there are leather shops all over the city to explore. If you’re visiting Venice, make sure to visit the island of Murano, where you can admire the incredibly beautiful hand-blown glass pieces they are famous for. Plan to save up in advance if you’d like to buy a piece though, they’re pretty pricey!
At the Hotel
Checking in at the hotel always leads to a few key questions to facilitate your stay. Ask for extra towels and make sure you don’t miss breakfast with the basic Italian words for tourists and travel below.
- Hotel – Albergo – al-BEHR-goh (use ostello for hostels)
- Do you have a room available? – Avete una camera libera? – ah-VEH-teh OO-nah KAH-meh-rah LEE-beh-rah?
- I have a reservation – Ho una prenotazione – oh OO-nah preh-noh-tah-TSYOH-neh
- What time is checkout/breakfast? – A che ora è il check-out/la colazione? – ah keh OH-rah eh eel chek-OWT/lah koh-lah-TSYOH-neh?
- Can we leave our bags here? – Possiamo lasciare le valigie qui? – pohs-SYAH-moh lah-SHAH-reh leh vah-LEE-jee-eh kwee?
- More towels – Altri asciugamani – al-TREE ah-shoo-gah-MAH-nee
- Key – Chiave – KYAH-veh
- Elevator – Ascensore – ah-shen-SOH-reh
- Wi-Fi password – La password del Wi-Fi – lah PAHSS-word del wee-FEE
Numbers and Time
Keeping track of time is key on vacation to make sure you don’t miss out on any of your activities! Use these basic Italian words to know to make sure you get to the ticket office on time – and understand the price, too.
- One – Uno – OO-noh
- Two – Due – DOO-eh
- Three – Tre – TREH
- Four – Quattro – KWAT-troh
- Five – Cinque – CHEEN-kweh
- Six – Sei – SEH-ee
- Seven – Sette – SET-teh
- Eight – Otto – OT-toh
- Nine – Nove – NOH-veh
- Ten – Dieci – DYEH-chee
- Eleven – Undici – OON-dee-chee
- Twelve – Dodici – DOH-dee-chee (or Mezzogiorno – met-tsoh-JOHR-noh if you mean noon)
- Twenty – Venti – VEN-tee
- One Hundred – Cento – CHEN-toh
- What time is it? – Che ora è? – keh OH-rah EH
- Today – Oggi – OH-jee
- Tomorrow – Domani – doh-MAH-nee
- This morning – Stamattina – stah-mah-TTEE-nah
- In the afternoon – Nel pomeriggio – nehl poh-meh-REEJ-joh
- Tonight – Stasera– stah-SEH-rah
- Half past (time) – E mezzo – eh MET-tsoh
- Quarter past – E un quarto – eh oon KWAR-toh
- Quarter till – Meno un quarto – MEH-noh oon KWAR-toh
In an Emergency
Sometimes, bad things happen. While we hope your vacation goes flawlessly, it’s best to be prepared with these basic Italian words for tourists with travel emergencies, just in case.
- Help! – Aiuto! – ah-YOO-toh
- Can you help me? – Può aiutarmi? – PWOH ah-yoo-TAR-mee?
- Can I borrow your phone? – Posso prendere in prestito il tuo telefono? – POS-soh PREN-deh-reh een PRES-tee-toh eel TOO-oh teh-LEH-foh-noh?
- Call the police! – Chiami la polizia! – KYA-mee lah poh-lee-TSEE-ah!
- Call an ambulance! – Chiami un’ambulanza! – KYA-mee oon ahm-boo-LAN-zah!
- Emergency – Emergenza – eh-mehr-GEN-zah
- I’m sick – Sono malato/a – SOH-noh mah-LAH-toh/tah
- I need a doctor – Ho bisogno di un dottore – oh bee-ZOH-nyoh dee oon dot-TOH-reh
- Pharmacy – Farmacia – fahr-ma-CHEE-ah
- Hospital – Ospedale – ohs-peh-DAH-leh
- I lost my passport – Ho perso il mio passaporto – oh PEHR-soh eel MEE-oh pahs-sah-POR-toh (we really, really hope you don’t need this one)
Italy is a fairly safe country, but make sure to take common sense precautions, especially when you’re in crowded tourist areas. Wear a purse with a zipper, don’t keep your phone in your back pocket, and leave your passport locked in the safe at your hotel room.
Bonus: Colloquial Phrases
Want to really blend in with the locals? Learn some of these common colloquial phrases that aren’t such common Italian words for tourists! Allora, in particular, is one you’ll hear everywhere – I can still hear our tour guide saying it every other sentence in my mind to this day, and it always brings a smile to my face.
- What’s up? – Che succede? – keh soo-CHEH-deh?
- Really? – Davvero? – dahv-VEH-roh?
- No way! – Non ci credo! – non chee KREH-doh!
- So… / Well… – Allora – ahl-LOH-rah (Italy’s most common filler word)
- It’s all good – Tutto bene – TUT-toh BEH-neh
- Don’t worry – Non ti preoccupare – nohn tee preh-oh-koo-PAH-reh
- No problem – Nessun problema – neh-SOON proh-BLEH-mah
- Let’s go! – Andiamo! – ahn-DYA-moh!
- I’m beat/tired – Sono stanco/a – SOH-noh STAN-koh/kah
- It’s beautiful – È bellissimo – eh bel-LEES-see-moh
- Amazing! – Fantastico! – fan-TAS-tee-koh
- Cool! – Che figo! – keh FEE-goh
- I love Italy! – Amo l’Italia! – AH-moh leet-AH-lyah!
FAQs - Other Italy Travel Tips
When Is the Best Time to Visit Italy?
Italy is a year-round destination, with pleasant summers and snowy winters for skiing and other outdoor sports in the north. Peak season is from June to August, but we recommend a visit during the shoulder seasons of April to May or September to October. We’ve spent time there in both May and September and the weather was ideal in each month, plus fewer crowds and cheaper hotels made for a more pleasant vacation.
Which Destinations Should I Visit in Italy?
There are seemingly endless incredible destinations to visit in Italy.
One of our favorite tourist destinations in Italy is Florence, home to the David statue, the incredible Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and of course, some of the world’s most delicious food. Check out our Florence itinerary and travel guide here, along with our review of the best wine tasting tour of Tuscany here.
We also spent a month in Naples and the surrounding area, which is an incredible region to explore. From hiking Mount Vesuvius to exploring Pompeii and soaking in the views along the Amalfi Coast, it’s a great home base for a well-rounded Italian getaway. Check out our Naples itinerary and travel guide here, plus an itinerary for Capri and an itinerary for Positano, too.
Of course, you also can’t miss Rome, home to the best pasta in the country. Our friends at Travels Off the Cuff have a great travel guide you can use to help you plan your trip here. Venice is a unique experience as well, and you should make sure to include a visit to renown glass-making center Murano island while you’re there too. And for outdoor enthusiasts, we recommend the Italian Dolomites for epic hiking!
Do I Need a Visa to Visit Italy?
Visitors from many countries can travel to Italy (and the rest of the EU) visa-free for up to 90 days. Check if Italy requires a visa for visitors from your home country here.
Are There Helpful Apps I Should Download Before I Visit Italy?
Absolutely! These are the top apps we recommend you download before your trip to Italy:
- Airalo – having full use of your phone while traveling is incredibly important! eSIM apps like Airalo make getting cell service anywhere you travel easy and affordable. If you haven’t used it before, you can use this Airalo code to get a discount on your first purchase.
- FREENOW – this is your best bet for hailing taxis in Italy. They’re a bit stricter with ride-sharing regulations here.
- The Fork – this app offers big discounts at some of the city’s most popular restaurants, a great way to save a few bucks if you plan ahead!
- Google Translate – we recommend downloading the Italian language for offline use on Google Translate, so you can always communicate even if you lose cell service. While our language guide is helpful, we don’t expect you to memorize all the basic Italian words for tourists and travel you may need to know while visiting!
- Google Maps – for the same reason, we also recommend downloading the offline map of the city you’re visiting on Google Maps.
Which Travel Resources Should I Use to Plan My Trip to Italy?
For starters, use our site! Check out all of our Italy travel guides to help you decide where to go, what to do, and where to stay. We’ve got detailed itineraries and travel guides, plus recommendations on all our favorite bars, restaurants, and more.
Once you’re ready to plan your trip, we recommend the following resources:
- Flights – we use Google Flights and Skyscanner to book our flights. These resources help you compare all the airlines at once, plus give you tips on the best times to purchase. I use their price tracking features religiously to make sure we get the best deal. If you’re ready to book, head to Skyscanner now to get started:
- Hotels – we always use Booking.com for choosing hotel stays. We think they have the best prices, their star ratings are super reliable, and we love the perks we get with their rewards system.
- Transit – if you’re traveling throughout Sweden on anything other than planes – like trains and buses – we recommend Omio. Omio lets you find and compare and buy bus, train, flight, and ferry routes across Europe in one easy-to-use platform.
- Trip Planning – the most frequently opened app on our phone, regardless of our destination, is Wanderlog. This app makes travel planning SO easy. You can import all your flights, hotels, and transit information, add top sites to your itinerary, and even track and split your budget amongst your travel buddies. It also provides recommendations on where to visit and a map of all the attractions you plan to see, with transit time between each.
Do I Need Travel Insurance to Visit Italy?
While it’s not required, we highly recommend it. You never know when something might go wrong, and it’s best to be prepared. We use and recommend SafetyWing, which is an especially good option for those traveling for a month or more. For as little as $56, it covers everything from lost luggage to hospital stays – a heck of a deal if you encounter any emergencies while abroad.
Final Thoughts on Basic Italian Words for Tourists and Travel
Allora – that’s all she wrote for ours list of basic Italian words for tourists and travel! We hope these common Italian words to know make your vacation go a little smoother. Showing your respect for the country you’re visiting by speaking the native language goes a long way to warming the locals to you, and can lead to special encounters that may become some of your fondest memories. Share your favorite memory from visiting Italy with us below!
Don’t forget, we’ve got premade itineraries for Florence, Naples, Capri, and Positano in our Italy travel guides here. These guides have everything you need to know to make planning your vacation there a breeze – where to stay, what to eat, and all the top sites and activities you have to see during your visit. The itineraries are just the start though – we’ve also got a slew of other posts on Italy’s top bars and restaurants, tour reviews, and more.
You May Also Like
Related Posts
