30+ Useful Classroom Phrases in Italian for Teachers and Students

Stepping into a classroom in Italy, whether it’s for a university course, a language school, or another class, can feel a little intimidating. You want to participate, ask questions, and understand what’s going on, but you might not have the specific vocabulary. Don’t worry! This guide is packed with useful classroom phrases in Italian to help you feel more confident and ready to learn from day one.

Table of Contents

Classroom Greetings and Addressing Teachers

First things first, let’s cover how to say hello and how to address teachers and classmates appropriately.

For the teacher:

• Buongiorno. (“Good morning.” / “Good day.”)
• Buonasera. (“Good evening.” – commonly used later in the day and in the evening.)

For your classmates:

• Ciao! (“Hi!” or “Bye!”)
• Come stai? (“How are you?”)

Addressing the teacher:

• Professore (“teacher/professor” for a man)
• Professoressa (“teacher/professor” for a woman)
• Prof is a common shorter form for both.
• In primary school, you’ll also hear Maestro (for a man) or Maestra (for a woman).

The level of formality depends on the context. In many secondary-school, university, and adult-learning settings, students may use the formal Lei form when speaking to a teacher unless invited to use the informal tu. For example, Può ripetere? (“Can you repeat?”) is formal, while Puoi ripetere? is informal. When in doubt, listen to how other students address the teacher and start with the more formal option.

Dialogue: Classmates

Anna: Ciao, Leo! Come stai? (“Hi, Leo! How are you?”)

Leo: Ciao, Anna. Tutto bene, grazie. E tu? (“Hi, Anna. All good, thanks. And you?”)

Dialogue: Student and Teacher

Student: Buongiorno, Professoressa. (“Good morning, Professor.”)

Teacher: Buongiorno a tutti. (“Good morning, everyone.”)

Attendance, Absence, and Tardiness

Knowing what to say during roll call or if you’re running late can save you a lot of stress.

When the teacher calls your name, you can simply say:

• Presente! (“Here!” or “Present!”)

You might hear the teacher ask:

• Chi manca oggi? (“Who’s absent today?”)
• C’è Anna? (“Is Anna here?”)

If you arrive late:

• Posso entrare? (“May I come in?”)
• Scusi per il ritardo. (“Sorry I’m late.”)

If you need to explain an absence:

• Ieri ero assente perché stavo male. (“I was absent yesterday because I wasn’t feeling well.”)
• Domani non posso venire a lezione. (“I can’t come to class tomorrow.”)

Dialogue: Arriving Late

Student: (knocks on the door) Buongiorno, Professoressa. Posso entrare? Scusi per il ritardo. (“Good morning, Professor. May I come in? Sorry I’m late.”)

Teacher: Certo, entra e siediti. (“Of course. Come in and sit down.”)

Understanding and Following Teacher Instructions

This is where some of the most useful classroom phrases in Italian come in handy. When a teacher gives instructions, you need to be able to follow along.

General classroom instructions:

• Aprite il libro a pagina 10. (“Open your books to page 10.”)
• Ascoltate attentamente. (“Listen carefully.”)
• Ripetete dopo di me. (“Repeat after me.”)
• Alzate la mano. (“Raise your hand.”)
• Lavorate a coppie. (“Work in pairs.”)

Instructions for exercises:

• Scrivete la risposta. (“Write the answer.”)
• Sottolineate la parola. (“Underline the word.”)
• Completate le frasi. (“Complete the sentences.”)
• Consegnate i compiti. (“Hand in your homework.”)

Instructions about time:

• Avete cinque minuti. (“You have five minutes.”)
• Finite l’esercizio, per favore. (“Finish the exercise, please.”)

Example: In the Classroom

Teacher: Bene, aprite il libro a pagina venti e lavorate a coppie. Avete dieci minuti. (“Okay, open your books to page twenty and work in pairs. You have ten minutes.”)

Student: Va bene. (“Okay.”)

Asking for Clarification, Help, and Permission

Don’t be afraid to speak up. These phrases will help you ask for what you need politely and clearly.

When you don’t understand:

• Non ho capito. (“I didn’t understand.”)
• Può ripetere, per favore? (“Can you repeat, please?”)
• Può parlare più lentamente, per favore? (“Can you speak more slowly, please?”)

Language-learning questions:

• Come si dice [word] in italiano? (“How do you say [word] in Italian?”)
• Cosa vuol dire [word]? (“What does [word] mean?”)
• Cosa significa [word]? (“What does [word] mean?”)
• Può scriverlo, per favore? (“Can you write it down, please?”)

Asking for permission:

• Posso fare una domanda? (“Can I ask a question?”)
• Posso andare in bagno? (“May I go to the bathroom?”)
• Posso uscire un momento? (“May I leave for a moment?”)

Dialogue: Asking for Clarification

Student: Professoressa, scusi, non ho capito l’ultima frase. Può ripetere, per favore? (“Professor, excuse me, I didn’t understand the last sentence. Can you repeat, please?”)

Teacher: Certo. Ho detto: Consegnate i compiti entro venerdì. (“Of course. I said: Hand in your homework by Friday.”)

For more expressions you can use when you need help understanding Italian, try Useful Phrases for Learning Italian. You can also review Top Five Italian Classroom Phrases for a shorter set of classroom essentials.

Borrowing and Talking About School Supplies

Forgot your pen? Need an eraser? Here’s how to ask your classmates for the things you need.

Common school supplies:

• il libro di testo (“textbook”)
• il quaderno (“notebook”)
• la penna (“pen”)
• la matita (“pencil”)
• la gomma (“eraser”)
• il righello (“ruler”)
• la calcolatrice (“calculator”)
• lo zaino (“backpack”)

Asking a classmate:

• Mi presti una penna? (“Can you lend me a pen?”)
• Hai una penna in più? (“Do you have a spare pen?”)
• Posso usare la tua gomma? (“Can I use your eraser?”)

Other useful phrases:

• Ho dimenticato il quaderno. (“I forgot my notebook.”)
• Ho perso la matita. (“I lost my pencil.”)
• Serve la calcolatrice? (“Do we need a calculator?”)
• Devo portare il libro domani? (“Do I need to bring the book tomorrow?”)

Dialogue: Borrowing a Pen

Anna: Oh no, ho dimenticato la penna. Leo, mi presti una penna, per favore? (“Oh no, I forgot my pen. Leo, can you lend me a pen, please?”)

Leo: Sì, certo. Tieni. (“Yes, sure. Here you go.”)

Talking About Favorite Subjects and Class Schedules

Small talk with classmates often revolves around school itself. Use these phrases to talk about your classes, what you like, and what’s coming up next.

Common subjects:

• matematica (“math”)
• italiano (“Italian”)
• inglese (“English”)
• storia (“history”)
• geografia (“geography”)
• scienze (“science”)
• arte (“art”)
• musica (“music”)
• educazione fisica (“physical education”)

Talking about preferences:

• La mia materia preferita è… (“My favorite subject is…”)
• Sono bravo/brava in… (“I’m good at…”)
• Non sono molto bravo/brava in… (“I’m not very good at…”)

Questions about your schedule:

• Che materia abbiamo dopo? (“What subject do we have next?”)
• A che ora comincia la lezione? (“What time does class start?”)
• Quando è la verifica? (“When is the test?”)
• I compiti sono per venerdì? (“Is the homework due Friday?”)

Dialogue: Favorite Subjects

Anna: Uffa, non sono molto brava in matematica. La mia materia preferita è storia. E la tua, Leo? (“Ugh, I’m not very good at math. My favorite subject is history. And yours, Leo?”)

Leo: Scienze, decisamente. (“Science, definitely.”)

Can You Do This Now? A Quick Self-Check

Before you head off, check your readiness against these five classroom situations:

1. Follow instructions: Can you understand your teacher saying Aprite il libro a pagina 10 or Lavorate a coppie and know what to do?
2. Handle attendance: Can you respond Presente! when your name is called, or explain Ieri ero assente perché stavo male if you missed class?
3. Ask for clarification or permission: Can you say Non ho capito. Può ripetere, per favore? or ask Posso andare in bagno?
4. Borrow supplies: Can you ask a classmate Mi presti una penna? if you forgot something?
5. Participate in class: Can you talk about your favorite subject with La mia materia preferita è… or ask Che materia abbiamo dopo?

If you can handle those five situations, you have a practical set of Italian classroom phrases for understanding instructions, asking for help, and connecting with classmates.

Want to see and hear more classroom vocabulary in context? Start with Italian Expressions and Words for the Classroom 1, then continue with Italian Expressions and Words for the Classroom 2 on ItalianPod101.com.

In bocca al lupo! (“Good luck!”)