Ready to travel to Italy? The real question isn’t “how many words do I know” — it’s “can I actually order dinner, find my hotel, and buy a gift for my sister?” This guide is built around exactly those moments. By the end, you’ll have the words and ready-to-use phrases to handle four essential travel situations: ordering at a restaurant, asking for directions, checking into a hotel, and shopping in a store.

We’ve pulled together roughly two hundred common A1-level Italian words, but instead of dumping them into a glossary, we’ve organized them by the task you’ll use them for. Each scenario below gives you the vocabulary, five ready-to-use sentences, a short real-world dialogue, and a quick self-check so you know you’re actually ready.

How to Use This Guide

This article is your curated starter pack for Italian travel. Skip around to the scenario you need most, or work through them in order: Restaurant, Directions, Hotel Check-in, and Shopping. A grammar and extra-vocabulary appendix is included at the end for reference, but you don’t need to memorize it before you start using the phrases above it.

To get started, focus on this first group of essential words and phrases. They’ll help you in almost any travel situation.

Essential Words and Phrases to Learn First

Italian	English Meaning
Ciao	Hello / Hi / Bye (informal)
Sì / No	Yes / No
Grazie / Prego	Thank you / You’re welcome
Per favore	Please
Scusi	Excuse me (formal)
Parla inglese?	Do you speak English?
Non capisco	I don’t understand
Mi chiamo…	My name is…
Dov’è…?	Where is…?
Quanto costa?	How much does it cost?
Un caffè	A coffee
Il conto	The check / bill
Aiuto!	Help!
Buongiorno	Good morning / Good day
Buonasera	Good evening
Arrivederci	Goodbye (formal)
Io / Tu	I / You (informal)

Bookmark this page and come back to it whenever you need a quick reference before or during your trip.

Numbers and Time: You’ll Need Them in Every Scenario

Whether you’re paying a bill, asking what time check-out is, or agreeing on a meeting time, numbers and time words show up in all four travel tasks below. It’s worth learning these first.

Numbers: Zero to Twenty

Italian	English Meaning	Italian	English Meaning
zero	zero	undici	eleven
uno	one	dodici	twelve
due	two	tredici	thirteen
tre	three	quattordici	fourteen
quattro	four	quindici	fifteen
cinque	five	sedici	sixteen
sei	six	diciassette	seventeen
sette	seven	diciotto	eighteen
otto	eight	diciannove	nineteen
nove	nine	venti	twenty
dieci	ten

Numbers: Thirty to One Hundred

Italian	English Meaning	Italian	English Meaning
trenta	thirty	settanta	seventy
quaranta	forty	ottanta	eighty
cinquanta	fifty	novanta	ninety
sessanta	sixty	cento	one hundred

Time and Calendar

Italian	English Meaning	Italian	English Meaning
lunedì	Monday	ora	hour
martedì	Tuesday	minuto	minute
mercoledì	Wednesday	giorno	day
giovedì	Thursday	settimana	week
venerdì	Friday	mese	month
sabato	Saturday	anno	year
domenica	Sunday	oggi	today
mattina	morning	domani	tomorrow
pomeriggio	afternoon	ieri	yesterday
sera	evening	notte	night

Task 1: At the Restaurant

Ordering food is one of the first things you’ll do in Italy, and it’s a great place to practice politeness words alongside food vocabulary.

Restaurant Vocabulary

Italian	English Meaning
il ristorante	restaurant
il bar	bar, café
il cameriere / la cameriera	waiter / waitress
il menù	menu
il tavolo	table
il conto	the check / bill
il cibo	food
l’acqua	water
il vino (rosso/bianco)	wine (red/white)
la birra	beer
il caffè	coffee
il pane	bread
la pasta	pasta
la pizza	pizza
il formaggio	cheese
la carne	meat
il pesce	fish
la verdura	vegetable(s)
la frutta	fruit
il dolce	dessert, sweet
la colazione / il pranzo / la cena	breakfast / lunch / dinner
mangiare	to eat
bere	to drink
ordinare	to order
prendere	to take, to have (food/drink)
volere	to want
pagare	to pay

Ready-to-Use Restaurant Phrases

• Vorrei prenotare un tavolo per due. — I would like to book a table for two.
• Posso vedere il menù, per favore? — Can I see the menu, please?
• Vorrei un caffè e un cornetto. — I would like a coffee and a croissant.
• Per me, la pasta al pomodoro. — For me, pasta with tomato sauce.
• Il conto, per favore. — The check, please.

Dialogue: Ordering a Gelato

Anna: Io voglio un gelato, per favore. (“I want an ice cream, please.”)

Sara: Ah, quasi! You should say, “Vorrei un gelato.” It’s more polite, like “I would like.”

Anna: Oh, capisco! Grazie! Allora, vorrei un gelato. (“Oh, I understand! Thanks! In that case, I would like an ice cream.”)

Self-Check: Order Food

Using only words from this section, try to order a coffee, ask for the menu, and ask for the bill — out loud, in Italian. If you can say all three without looking, you’re ready for Task 1.

Task 2: Asking for Directions

Once you’re out exploring, you’ll need to ask how to get somewhere — and understand the answer.

Directions Vocabulary

Italian	English Meaning
destra	right
sinistra	left
dritto, diritto	straight ahead
vicino	near
lontano	far
l’angolo	corner
il semaforo	traffic light
la strada	street
la piazza	square
il centro	city center
la mappa	map
la stazione	station

Ready-to-Use Direction Phrases

• Dov’è la stazione? — Where is the station?
• Sempre dritto, poi a destra. — Straight ahead, then to the right.
• Giri a sinistra al semaforo. — Turn left at the traffic light.
• È vicino o lontano da qui? — Is it near or far from here?
• Scusi, come arrivo al museo? — Excuse me, how do I get to the museum?

Dialogue: Finding the Station

Anna: Scusi, dov’è la stazione? (“Excuse me, where is the station?”)

Sara: Sempre dritto, poi a destra all’angolo. Non è lontano. (“Straight ahead, then right at the corner. It’s not far.”)

Anna: Grazie mille! (“Thank you very much!”)

Self-Check: Ask for Directions

Can you ask where the station is, understand “straight, then right,” and confirm whether it’s near or far — all using only the words above? If yes, you’ve got Task 2 covered.

Task 3: Hotel Check-in

Arriving at your hotel is often the first real conversation you’ll have in Italian after landing.

Check-in Vocabulary

Italian	English Meaning
l’hotel / l’albergo	hotel
la reception	front desk
la prenotazione	reservation
la camera	room
la chiave	key
il passaporto	passport
il bagno	bathroom
il check-in / il check-out	check-in / check-out

Ready-to-Use Check-in Phrases

• Ho una prenotazione a nome di… — I have a reservation under the name of…
• A che ora è il check-out? — What time is check-out?
• C’è il Wi-Fi in camera? — Is there Wi-Fi in the room?
• Posso avere una camera con vista? — Can I have a room with a view?
• Il bagno è in camera? — Is the bathroom in the room?

Dialogue: Checking In

Anna: Buonasera. Ho una prenotazione a nome di Anna Rossi. (“Good evening. I have a reservation under the name Anna Rossi.”)

Receptionist: Perfetto. Ecco la chiave. La camera è al terzo piano. (“Perfect. Here’s the key. The room is on the third floor.”)

Anna: Grazie. A che ora è il check-out? (“Thank you. What time is check-out?”)

Receptionist: Alle undici. (“At eleven o’clock.”)

Self-Check: Check In

Try saying you have a reservation under your name, asking for the room key, and asking what time check-out is — without looking at the list. That’s Task 3 done.

Task 4: Shopping

Whether it’s a market stall or a boutique, these phrases will get you through a purchase.

Shopping Vocabulary

Italian	English Meaning
il negozio	store, shop
il mercato	market
la taglia	size
il prezzo	price
i soldi	money
i contanti	cash
la carta di credito	credit card
comprare	to buy
costare	to cost

Ready-to-Use Shopping Phrases

• Posso provarlo? — Can I try it on?
• Quanto costa? — How much does it cost?
• Pago con carta. — I’ll pay by card.
• Avete una taglia più grande? — Do you have a bigger size?
• Vorrei solo dare un’occhiata, grazie. — I’d just like to look, thanks.

Dialogue: In a Shop

Anna: Buongiorno! Posso provare questa giacca? (“Good morning! Can I try on this jacket?”)

Shop assistant: Certo. Che taglia? (“Of course. What size?”)

Anna: La media, grazie. Quanto costa? (“Medium, please. How much does it cost?”)

Shop assistant: Cinquanta euro. (“Fifty euros.”)

Anna: Va bene, pago con carta. (“Okay, I’ll pay by card.”)

Self-Check: Shop with Confidence

Can you ask to try something on, ask the price, and say you’ll pay by card? If you can do all three out loud, Task 4 is complete.

Review: Confirm You’ve Hit All Four Travel Tasks

You’ve now covered the four core situations from this guide: ordering food, asking for directions, and handling a hotel check-in or a shopping purchase. Before moving on, try this combined mini-scenario:

1. Walk into a café and order a coffee, then ask for the bill.
2. Step outside and ask a stranger for directions to the nearest museum.
3. Arrive at your hotel, confirm your reservation, and ask what time check-out is — or head into a shop, ask the price of something, and pay by card.

If you can talk your way through all four without translating in your head first, you’ve successfully completed the goal of this guide.

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be. Nobody learns two hundred words in one sitting. Here’s a simple plan:

1. Choose one scenario. Start with the task you’ll need soonest — restaurant, directions, check-in, or shopping.
2. Learn the five phrases first. Full sentences stick better than isolated words.
3. Practice the dialogue aloud. Say both parts, then just your part.
4. Run the self-check. Confirm you can do it without looking.
5. Move to the next scenario.

When you’re ready to hear these words in real conversations and build on what you’ve learned, check out the lessons and resources available on ItalianPod101.

Appendix: Grammar Quick Reference

This section is background support for the phrases above — useful, but not required before you start speaking.

Pronouns and Demonstratives

Italian	English Meaning	Note
io	I
tu	you (singular, informal)
lui / lei	he / she
Lei	you (singular, formal)	Use Lei with strangers, elders, and in professional settings.
noi	we
voi	you (plural)
loro	they
mi / ti / si	myself / yourself / himself, herself	Basic reflexive pronouns for verbs like chiamarsi (“to be named”).
questo / questa	this (masculine / feminine)
quello / quella	that (masculine / feminine)

Question Words

Italian	English Meaning
Chi?	Who?
Che? / Cosa?	What?
Dove?	Where?
Quando?	When?
Perché?	Why? / Because
Come?	How?
Quale?	Which?
Quanto?	How much? / How many?

Adjective Agreement Note

Many Italian adjectives change their ending to match the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun they describe — for example, bello becomes bella for a feminine noun.

Italian (m./f.)	English Meaning
grande / piccolo, -a	big / small
buono, -a / cattivo, -a	good / bad
bello, -a	beautiful, handsome
nuovo, -a / vecchio, -a	new / old
felice / triste	happy / sad
facile / difficile	easy / difficult
libero, -a / occupato, -a	free / busy, occupied
caldo, -a / freddo, -a	hot / cold

Adverbs

Italian	English Meaning
bene / male	well / badly
molto / poco	very, a lot / little
sempre / mai	always / never
qui, qua / lì, là	here / there
forse	maybe
anche	also, too
solo, soltanto	only

Connectors and Small Words

Italian	English Meaning
e / o / ma	and / or / but
perché	because, why
se	if
con / senza	with / without
di / a / da / in / su / per	of, from / to, at / from, by / in / on / for
prima / dopo	before / after
scusa / scusi	excuse me, sorry

Use scusa for informal “you” (tu) and scusi for formal “you” (Lei).

Appendix: Additional Vocabulary

These words didn’t fit neatly into the three travel tasks but are still useful to know.

People and Family

Italian	English Meaning
la gente	people
l’uomo	man
la donna	woman
il ragazzo / la ragazza	boy / girl
l’amico / l’amica	friend (m. / f.)
la famiglia	family
la madre / il padre	mother / father
il figlio / la figlia	son / daughter
il fratello / la sorella	brother / sister

Places Around Town

Italian	English Meaning
la città	city
il negozio	store, shop
il mercato	market
la banca	bank
l’ospedale	hospital
la farmacia	pharmacy
l’aeroporto	airport
il museo	museum
la chiesa	church
la spiaggia	beach

Transportation

Italian	English Meaning
il treno	train
l’autobus	bus
la macchina	car
l’aereo	airplane
la bicicletta	bicycle
la metropolitana	subway, metro
il taxi	taxi
il biglietto	ticket

Common Travel and Everyday Objects

Italian	English Meaning
il telefono	telephone
il libro	book
la borsa	bag
la valigia	suitcase
la porta / la finestra	door / window
il letto / la sedia	bed / chair

Colors

Italian (m./f.)	English Meaning
rosso, -a	red
giallo, -a	yellow
verde	green
blu	blue
azzurro, -a	light blue
nero, -a	black
bianco, -a	white
grigio, -a	gray
marrone	brown