Common Italian Sayings and Greetings

In most big Italian cities and even in small towns, it's fairly easy to get by with English. Still, it's worth your time to speak and understand a few basic phrases and greetings. A well-placed Italian phrase can help out in a pinch and is respectful to the many locals whose first language isn't English.

Common Italian Greetings, Saying Hello and Goodbye

A common greeting you will hear in Italy is "ciao!" Pronounced like the word "chow," it's an informal way to say both hello and goodbye. You may also hear "ciao bella" -- or "ciao bello" if addressing a man. It translates to "hello, beautiful," which is a bit flirtatious, but it's generally meant as a friendly greeting.

If you'd like to address someone more formally, you can say "buongiorno," which is a formal version of "good morning." "Buona sera" is similar, but it means "good evening." "Buon Another informal way to say goodbye is "arriverderci."

Good Night

"Buona notte" means "good night." Sometimes this is shortened to “‘Notte.” Sleep well is “dormi bene” in Italian. "Buona sera" is similar, but it means "good evening."

Formal and Informal Introductions

To introduce yourself in Italian, say "mi chiamo" followed by your name. "Chiamo" is generally pronounced "yamo," similar to the Spanish word "llamo." If you're not sure how well the person speaks English, you can ask them by querying "pari inglese?"

An Italian may respond with "come stai," which is an informal way of asking how you're doing. "Va bene" indicates you're doing well, while "cosi cosi" means you're just okay -- similar to Spanish's "asi asi."

If you're just trying to catch the attention of someone on the street, "signorina" is the proper way to address a younger woman and "signora" is equivalent to "madam." Likewise, "signor" is equivalent to "sir."

Directions and Help

One of the most useful Italian phrases to know is "dove posso trovare il bagno?" or, "where is the bathroom?" For those shopping in Italy, "quanto costa" means "how much does this cost?"

If you bump into someone on the streets or need to squeeze by someone on the subway, "permesso" is a polite way of saying "excuse me."

If you need assistance from anyone, "posso aiutarti" is the best way of asking "can you help me?"

Italian Words

Grazie - Thank You is Grazie.

Piacere - “Pleased to meet you” is piacere, pronounced ‘pyah-cheh-reh.’ For example, ‘Che piacere vederti!’ and ‘Che piacere rivederti!’ mean, ‘What a pleasure to see you’ and ‘What a pleasure to see you again’

Lei - “Grazie a Lei” is thank you, too. Or, “Lei di dov'è?” which means “Where are you from?” Or, “E Lei?” which is the formal form for “And you?”

Mi scusi - Excuse me in Italian is mi scusi. Or, “Mi scusi, non capisco” which is a polite way of saying, “I do not understand.”

Mi dispiace - I am sorry is pronounced ‘Mee dees-pyah-cheh’ Or, ‘Mi dispiace, ma non parlo bene l'italiano’ which means “I am sorry, I do not speak Italian well.”

Non Capisco - I don't understand. Pronounce like Non kah-pee-skoh.

Parla - Do you speak. For example "Parla inglese?" means do you speak English?

Prego - Prego means you're welcome.

Presto - "A presto!" means "See you soon."

Sto Bene - "Sto bene" means I am well.

Tutto - "Va tutto bene" means "Everything's going well" or "Tutto Fumo e Niente Arrosto" means "All bark and No Bite."

Il Conto - "Il conto, per favore" means the check please. Pronounce like "Eel kon-toh, pehr fah-voh-reh"

Quattro - Means four. "Farsi in Quattro" means "Bend over Backwards" or literally make onself in four.

Quando - means "when?" Pronounce like "kwahn-doh" Or, "Quando Parte?" means "When does it leave?"

Vorrei - means I would like. For example, "Vorrei il menu, per favore" means I would like a menu please. Or, "Vorrei andare qui" means I want to go here

Other Common Italian Phrases

Every language has its unique idioms and phrases that don't quite translate to other languages. Italian is no exception. Italians will often accuse cheapskates who never pay the bill as "avere le braccine corte," which means "to have short arms." The insinuation is that they seemingly are not able to reach into their wallets to pick up a tab.