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Without conjunctions, we would be talking like robots, putting together a sequence of detached sentences. You might not realize this, but conjunctions are a very important part of our language. They have the important job of coordinating and linking phrases.

So, let’s discover and practice the most commonly used conjunctions in Italian (including coordinating conjunctions in Italian), because these little bricks in your sentences will help you connect your Italian phrases and make your Italian conversation flow. And this is exactly what you’ll need to speak Italian like a pro! (See how I used conjunctions to link the last three sentences?)
As you can see, even the most simple Italian conjunctions can make a huge difference.

But before learning Italian conjunctions, let’s take a more detailed look at what a conjunction is.

Table of Contents

1. What is a Conjunction?
2. Italian Conjunctions to Correlate Similar Thoughts
3. Italian Conjunctions to Express Condition
4. Italian Conjunctions to Express Cause
5. Italian Conjunctions to Express Opposition
6. Italian Conjunctions to Express Purpose
7. Italian Conjunctions to Express Time
8. Italian Conjunctions to Explain
9. Italian Conjunctions to Express a Conclusion
10. ItalianPod101: Your Guide to Italian Grammar & Culture

1. What is a Conjunction?

Conjunctions serve as connectors to link together two or more sentences or groups of words. They are invariable, meaning that they don’t change—and this is good, because you won’t have to worry about the agreement of feminine, masculine, singular, or plural.

There are two types of Italian conjunctions:

• Italian coordinating conjunctions, which put together two or more elements of the same importance
• Italian subordinating conjunctions, which put together two or more elements establishing a dependence

For example, take Vado in pizzeria e poi al cinema (meaning “I go to a pizzeria and then to the movies,” when translated). In this sentence, e poi (and then) are two coordinating conjunctions.

But if I say, Vado in pizzeria perché ho fame (or “I go to the pizzeria because I am hungry,” when translated), this is a subordinative conjunction, because going to the pizzeria depends on the fact that I am hungry (in this case, it’s the cause).

Now, are you ready to learn Italian conjunctions? We thought so! Without further ado, here’s our Italian conjunctions list!

2. Italian Conjunctions to Correlate Similar Thoughts

Let’s start with some basic Italian conjunctions: those that correlate similar thoughts.

E: This is the very first conjunction you’ll learn when you start studying Italian. E means “and,” and it’s impossible to do without because you use it to link two or more words in a sentence:

“I eat bread and cheese.” (Mangio pane e formaggio.)

It can also link two sentences/verbs:

“I went to the movies and I saw a nice Italian film.” (Sono andato al cinema e ho visto un bel film italiano.)

Pane e formaggio. (“Bread and cheese.”): it also means two people that really get along!

Whenever you write in Italian, pay attention to the difference between e to connect parts of your phrases and the third person verb è (it is) that needs the accent. This is a very common mistake that many young Italian students make, and nonetheless it’s a red pen mistake! To help you remember, here’s a little filastrocca (nursery rhyme):

E senza accento lega,
È con accento spiega.

“E with no accent binds,
È with an accent explains.”

Take a look at this Italian conjunctions chart to see how other common and useful correlative Italian conjunctions work:

Italian Conjunction	English Equivalent
anche	also	Vado al cinema e viene anche Marco.	“I go to the movies, and Marco will also go.”
inoltre	besides	Oggi non esco, inoltre piove.	“I won’t go out today, besides it rains.”
né	nor	Non so ballare né cantare.	“I can neither dance nor sing.”
o/oppure (synonyms)	or	Vuoi la torta o/oppure il gelato?	“Do you want ice cream or cake?”
nemmeno neanche neppure (synonyms)	not even	Non esco nemmeno/neppure/neanche per un minuto.	“I won’t go out, not even for a minute.”
nemmeno neanche neppure (synonyms)	neither	Non esci? Nemmeno/neanche/neppure io!	“You don’t want to go out? Neither do I!”

3. Italian Conjunctions to Express Condition

Se non piove, vado al mare. (If it doesn’t rain, I’ll go to the beach.)

This is a very common sentence structure that you’ll often need when you want to talk about a hypothetical situation. To do so, you’ll need to use another one of the most common Italian conjunctions, se (if), which is used to introduce a hypothetical sentence.

What does “hypothetical” mean? Simply that you’re stating a doubt, or a possibility (either realistic or impossible) that could occur. The difference between being realistic or not is actually very important in Italian, since what tenses you’ll use in your sentence depend on this.

Ipoteticamente, se fossi italiana userei sempre il congiuntivo! (Hypothetically, if I were Italian I would use the subjunctive all the time!)

Look at the example in the table to see the difference. Do you want to know more about Italian verbs and tenses?

Italian Hypothetical Phrase	English Equivalent	Situation	What tenses?
Se non piove, vado al mare.	“If it doesn’t rain, I’ll go to the beach.”	Very realistic possibility	Present - Present
Se fossi un pesce vivrei nel mare.	“If I were a fish, I would live in the sea.”	Highly improbable	Past Subjunctive - Conditional

4. Italian Conjunctions to Express Cause

Oggi vado al mare perché c’è il sole (Today I go to the beach since it is sunny.)

Perché (since; because) is one of the most useful Italian conjunctions to know and use, because it explains the reason or the cause behind some action.

Other conjunctions to express cause are poiché, siccome, and visto che. They are synonyms of perché and also mean “since.” Notice how, unlike perché, they can be at the beginning of a sentence.

• Poiché non mi chiami, vado da sola. (Since you didn’t call me, I’ll go by myself.)
• Siccome piove, non vado al mare. (Since it’s raining, I won’t go to the beach.)
• Visto che sei italiano, devi sapere fare la pizza! (Since you’re Italian, you must know how to make pizza!)

Sono Italiano ma non so fare la pizza! La mangio solamente… (I’m Italian, but I can’t make pizza. I only eat it… )

Another difference is that perché is also used to ask a question: Perché non vai al mare? (Why don’t you go to the beach?).

So you see that while in English there are two separate words for it (why and because), depending on whether it’s a question or an answer/explanation, in Italian, they’re the same word: perché. And don’t forget to put the acute accent on the é at the end of perché!

Perché? Perché sì! (Why? Just because!)

5. Italian Conjunctions to Express Opposition

These conjunctions in Italian are the perfect tool when you want to make an excuse for some action. So obviously, they’re very useful to help you politely decline an invitation, an opinion you don’t agree with, or a second helping of lasagna from your friend’s grandma…

The most common conjunctions to express opposition are ma or però (both mean “but” when translated):

• Mi piacerebbe andare al mare, ma oggi devo studiare. (I would love to go to the beach, but today I have to study.)
• Capisco il tuo punto di vista, però non sono d’accordo. (I understand your point of view, but I don’t agree.)
• La lasagna è buonissima, ma sono proprio sazio! (The lasagna is fantastic, but I am really full!)

6. Italian Conjunctions to Express Purpose

Affinché, così, and perché all mean “so that.”

Whenever you want to express the purpose of an action that you stated in the main sentence, use conjunctions such as per, affinché, cosí, or perché, which all mean “so that.” For most of these, you need to pay extra attention because they require the use of the congiuntivo (the subjunctive tense).

• Ti chiamo perché tu capisca la situazione. (I’m calling you so that you understand the situation.)
• Scrivo l’esercizio affinché tu possa correggerlo. (I’ll write down the exercise so that you can correct it.)
• Lo spiego di nuovo cosí che voi comprendiate. (I’ll explain it again so that you’ll all understand.)

When the two sentences (main and subordinate) have the same subject, you can use the simpler conjunction per without the subjunctive. I bet you loved that…!

Ti chiamo (io) per spiegarti (io) la situazione. (I call you to explain the situation.)

If you want to know more about this type of sentence, check out this lesson on our website.

7. Italian Conjunctions to Express Time

Quando? and Per quanto tempo? mean “When?” and “For how long?” respectively. Whenever you need to answer those questions, you’ll be using conjunctions to express time.

Guardo la clessidra mentre il tempo passa (I watch the hourglass, while time goes by).

The most common of Italian conjunction words for this is definitely quando (when). And you must have heard the old and very famous Italian song ‘60 Quando, Quando, Quando by Tony Renis. Can you sing along?

• Mentre (While)
  Non parlare mentre mangi. (Don’t talk while you eat.)
• Quando (When)
  Esco sempre quando nevica. (I always go out when it’s snowing.)
• Appena/Non appena (As soon as)
  Ti chiamo (non) appena ho finito. (I’ll call you as soon as I’m done.)
  Notice how appena/non appena have exactly the same meaning.
• Prima di/che (Before)
  Bevo un bicchiere d’acqua prima di dormire. (I drink a glass of water before I go to sleep.)
  Ti voglio parlare prima che tu esca. (I want to talk to you before you leave.)
• Dopo di/che (After)
  Esco solo dopo avere finito i compiti. (I only go out after I finish my homework.)
  Esco solo dopo che hai finito i compiti. (I only go out after you finish your homework.)

8. Italian Conjunctions to Explain

How many times have you said something in Italian and then realized your idea wasn’t clear enough? In that case, these conjunctions to explain will come in quite handy! The most common in Italian are cioè (that is) and infatti (in fact).

• Mi piace l’entomologia, cioè lo studio degli insetti. “I like entomology, that is the study of insects.)
• Ha nevicato tutta la notte, infatti stamattina fuori è tutto bianco! (It snowed all night, in fact this morning it was all white outside!)

Have you noticed how much young Italians say cioè (that is)? Since the 70s, it’s become very common in spoken Italian as a way to take time to think about what you want to say. This is similar to “well…” in English at the start of a sentence. Some younger kids use it all the time! In fact, Cioè has even become the name of a very famous Italian teen magazine!

Cioè… non ho capito la domanda. (Well… I didn’t get the question.)

You might have also noticed how often Italians answer a question with infatti (in fact). In this case, it’s not used to explain the previous sentence, but simply to answer a question. It’s a way to reinforce your sì (yes), as in “Yes, absolutely/That’s right!”

          - C’é un bel sole, non ho voglia di stare a casa!
          - Infatti!

          - “It’s nice and sunny, I don’t feel like staying home.”
          - “That’s right!”

Cioè… Allora… Quindi… (That is… So…). You’ll hear these words a lot from young Italians!

9. Italian Conjunctions to Express a Conclusion

And finally, to conclude, what could be more appropriate than talking about conjunctions to express a conclusion? So here we go. The most common Italian conjunctions to express a conclusion are allora (then), quindi (so), and dunque (therefore).

• Non vuoi andare al cinema, allora cosa vuoi fare? (You don’t want to go to the movies, then what do you want to do?)
• Sono tornata a casa tardi, quindi mia madre si è preoccupata. (I came home late, so my mom got worried.)
• Voglio imparare l’Italiano, dunque studio con ItalianPod101.com! (I want to learn Italian, therefore I study with ItalianPod101.com!)

Even though these conjunctions serve mainly to conclude a sentence, you’ll often hear Italians start their sentences with them. In this case, they have the same function as cioè… (that is). They merely earn you some time while you think of what you’re about to say.

10. ItalianPod101: Your Guide to Italian Grammar & Culture

You’ll have lots of fun playing with Italian conjunctions because they’re the glue that allows you to bring your Italian conversation and writing to the next level. In Italian grammar, conjunctions really are that essential! So, try and use these conjunctions as much as possible, and keep having fun with ItalianPod101.com.

Which of these conjunctions do you plan on putting to use soon? Are there any you’re struggling with? Let us know in the comments!

Until next time, keep practicing, because your hard work is going to pay off and you’ll be speaking Italian like a native before you know it!

Every culture in the world have their own customs and etiquette regarding the most important aspects of social life: from dining to celebrations, from greetings to traveling, and so on. For someone coming from a different culture, they can be hard to understand and adopt, but they’re indeed an important element in communicating with the local population and learning their culture.

In order to help you with this, ItalianPod101 has written a guide to the Italian customs and etiquette. With our Italian etiquette tips under your belt, you have no reason to be nervous when an Italian friend invites you to dinner or when you’re going to travel to Italy for business reasons. Everyone will remember you as the educated, nice foreigner who surprised them by perfectly knowing the Italian customs. For tourists, knowing even a small bit of Italian etiquette can go a long way!

Table of Contents

1. How to Talk about Etiquette in Italian
2. Italian Dining Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts for Dining in Italy
3. The Do’s and Don’ts for Sightseeing
4. The Do’s and Don’ts for Greetings
5. The Do’s and Don’ts for Visiting a House in Italy
6. The Do’s and Don’ts When Riding Public Means of Transportation
7. The Do’s and Don’ts for Business
8. The Do’s and Don’ts for Celebrations
9. Learn Everything about Italian Culture and Customs with ItalianPod101

1. How to Talk about Etiquette in Italian

First of all, a super-short language lesson. Let’s say, for example, that you find yourself in a new situation and you’d like to know the Italian culture customs regarding the circumstance. You’d like to ask an Italian friend or colleague, but how? What are the verbs and sentences to talk about etiquette in Italian? How do you know about proper Italian etiquette for your current situation?

1- Dovere

When talking about customs and etiquette, you usually use the modal verb dovere and/or the imperative form. Dovere means “to have to,” and can also mean “should” and “must.” Let’s see a couple of examples:

Example: Quando ti presenti a qualcuno, devi stringergli la mano.
Translation: “When you introduce yourself to someone, you should shake their hands.”

Example: Quando saluti una persona giovane, devi dire ‘ciao.’
Translation: “When you say hello to a young person, you should say ‘ciao.’

2- The Imperative Verb

ItalianPod101 has prepared a couple of great lessons on the affirmative imperative and the negative imperative.You can check them out to know everything about this form. But for the purpose of this article, here’s a couple of examples regarding Italian etiquette:

Example: Mangia con la bocca chiusa.
Translation: “Eat with a closed mouth.”

Example: Non toglierti le scarpe quando entri in una casa.
Translation: “Don’t take your shoes off when you go into a house.”

2. Italian Dining Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts for Dining in Italy

Here’s some Italian etiquette for tourists willing to explore the universe of Italian food and wine. The most important rules of Italian dining etiquette are:

• Wait for everyone to be served before starting to eat: In some cultures, eating together is more about sitting at a table together than it is about actually consuming the food. The Italian culture is not one of them. Before starting to eat, make sure that everyone is served and ready to start. Not waiting for everyone to start at the same time is considered very rude.
• Always say Buon appetito!: This is another key rule of Italian dining etiquette. Before starting to eat, you should always say Buon appetito! to your tablemates. Literally, this expression means “Good appetite,” but it really means, in context, “Enjoy your meal.”
• Always serve your tablemates before yourself: When helping yourself with food or wine, always start with the others at your table and serve yourself last. Don’t worry; you don’t need to serve thirty people if you’re at a big dinner, just focus on serving the guests next to you. Kindness and generosity are highly appreciated at Italian tables.
• Make a toast before starting to drink alcohol: Like the Buon appetito! is mandatory before starting to eat, so is a toast before starting to drink. Raise your glass and say Salute! or Cin cin!, then wait for your guests to join the toast.
• Don’t talk with your mouth full: Italians really don’t like to see how the food looks in your mouth.
• Don’t burp: In some countries, for example in India, burping is a sign of satisfaction and satiety. But in Italy, it’s unacceptable. Basically, you should avoid every loud sound—slurping is another good example.
• When eating in the streets, beware of municipal rules: This isn’t properly about etiquette, but more about local laws. Given the huge number of tourists and the current boom of street food, some Italian municipalities have forbidden eating on the street. You should ask your host or tourist office about this to avoid expensive fines.
• You’re allowed to use your bread to clean the plate as long as you’re NOT holding the bread with your hands! Make sure to cut the bread into bite-sized pieces, and to hold it with your fork to clean the plate. That’s a delicious rule.

3. The Do’s and Don’ts for Sightseeing

Some tourists don’t really know how to behave when visiting a foreign country. And as Italy is a very popular destination, this becomes clear. Follow this list of Italian etiquette do’s and don’ts for tourists to be the visitor every Italian likes. Also note that specific Italian culture customs come into play here.

• Talk with a low voice in churches and other holy places: Holy places are usually very quiet in Italy, and everyone visiting them is requested to respect this silence. You’re allowed to talk, but only with a low voice.
• Turn your mobile phone off or on silent in churches and other holy places: People that don’t do this are considered very disrespectful.
• Don’t go where people are praying: People who are praying need calmness and respect. Don’t go next to them, and be quiet when you pass near them. This includes the “clicks” of your camera or cell phone. Some churches, especially the most-visited ones, have an area only for prayers. Don’t go there.
• Don’t point to people: Italians don’t like people pointing to them with their fingers. It makes them feel like animals at a zoo.
• Ask for permission before photographing someone: For the same reason, you should always ask their permission before taking a photo of someone.
• Be sensible with selfies: Selfies are a fun habit but also a curse of the current era, because they make us behave stupidly sometimes. We think about the people that will look at our photo on social media, and not about those around us. So, be sensible. Before taking a selfie, make sure that you’re not acting disrespectfully. For example, if you’re taking a selfie in front of a monument for the victims of WWII, this is considered disrespectful.

4. The Do’s and Don’ts for Greetings

We’ve already written a super interesting guide about greetings in Italy, but here are a few Italian etiquette tips.

• Smile: Italians communicate a lot with their facial expressions and body language, and have a really hard time with people who don’t. If you don’t smile to someone when greeting or introducing yourself to them, they’ll think you’re rude or hate them.
• Shake hands: Shaking hands is a key part of Italian etiquette when you meet someone new or when you greet a business contact. It’s also common among acquaintances, especially among men.
• Kiss your friends and relatives twice on their cheeks: Italians do kiss, a lot. Not as much as the French do, but almost. You should kiss your friends and relatives twice on their cheeks when saying hello and goodbye. All of them. Yes, it’s a lot of kissing and they love it.
• Don’t be too formal: Italians tend to be warmer in their manners than many other populations, and generally don’t like formalities too much. Just try to adapt to the level of formality they use toward you.

5. The Do’s and Don’ts for Visiting a House in Italy

Here are Italian etiquette rules for being a good guest in an Italian house. These simple tips for etiquette in Italy for tourists can go a long way toward impressing your host and leaving a good impression on potential friends.

• Don’t take your shoes off: In many parts of the world, you have to take your shoes off to show your respect in someone else’s house. In Italy, it’s the opposite. So, if you’re not asked to, don’t ever take your shoes off.
• Don’t wander around alone: Moving freely around someone else’s home is considered rude and inappropriate.
• Accept something they offer: Leaving a house without having a coffee, a piece of cake, or even just a glass of water might disappoint your host. Let them welcome you.

6. The Do’s and Don’ts When Riding Public Means of Transportation

Busses and trains are often crowded and stressful, which is why you should be super kind when riding them. These are the basic rules of etiquette in Italy for tourists using public transportation:

• Give your seat to old people, the disabled, pregnant women, and children.
• Don’t speak too loud, especially on the phone, and don’t listen to music without headphones.
• Say Permesso when you need to pass: This is the magic word that shows kindness to those traveling with you, like “excuse me” in English.

7. The Do’s and Don’ts for Business

Knowing the Italian etiquette is especially crucial when doing business with Italians. Here’s some good advice when it comes to Italian customs in business.

• Don’t talk about money right away: Yes, it’s weird, but money is a delicate issue for Italians. Don’t forget that for many centuries, the Church called it “the devil’s poo,” and even in today’s more secular century, there’s still something dirty about it. Don’t start talking about it at the beginning of a conversation, especially if it’s a large amount. It’s better to spend a few minutes talking about other aspects of the business before discussing the financial side.
• Appreciate other people’s work: Be sure to show appreciation toward other people’s work, even if you won’t close any deal. You’ll leave a good impression and be able to build a good reputation.
• Shake hands: After you’ve reached a business deal, shake hands.

8. The Do’s and Don’ts for Celebrations

What if you’re invited to a wedding or, unfortunately, you have to attend a funeral? Check out our advice here.

• Don’t dress in bright colors at a funeral: Instead, dress soberly, using dark colors.
• Say Condoglianze to offer condolences.
• Don’t eat at a funeral: In Italy, mourning isn’t considered an occasion to eat together. Instead, eating at funerals is almost a taboo. People at funerals just gather together and remember the deceased.
• Say Congratulazioni to offer congratulations: For example, you can say this at a wedding, a baptism, a graduation, etc.

9. Learn Everything about Italian Culture and Customs with ItalianPod101

What do you think about Italian customs and etiquette? Does your country have similar expectations? Let us know in the comments!

ItalianPod101 isn’t simply a place to learn the Italian language. It’s also a hub of information covering Italian culture and customs from many different points of view. Care to know more about how friendship works in Italy? You got it! Or do you want to move there to work? We got you covered!

And with our apps and tools, you’ll learn faster and in a fun, entertaining way, like you’ve never experienced before! Let us be your ladder to success as you master the Italian language!

Still don’t feel like you know everything you need about Italian etiquette and customs? Check out our in-depth articles and guides, like the ones we linked to throughout this article.

Italians celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany each year to celebrate the Magi’s visitation to Baby Jesus. However, the celebrations of Epiphany in Italy may surprise you—did you know that Epiphany isn’t what most Italians call this holiday?

In this article, you’ll learn about the origins of the Epiphany holiday and how the Italians observe it.

At ItalianPod101.com, it’s our goal to ensure that every aspect of your language-learning journey is both fun and informative—starting with this article!

Ready? Let’s dive in.

1. What is Epiphany in Italy?

Epiphany, like Christmas, is a Christian religious festival. It celebrates the visit made by the Magi—the three great kings of the East—to Christ twelve days after his birth. This festival is a national holiday.

For Italians, the Epiphany is also a bit of a sad day, because it is the fine del Natale, or “end of Christmas.” Thus, while the Epiphany celebrations are going on, Italians are also bracing themselves for the humdrum of everyday life to begin again.

2. Epiphany Date

Each year, Italians celebrate Epiphany on January 6. The night before is called Epiphany Eve.

3. How Do They Celebrate Epiphany in Italy?

While, like in most countries that celebrate Epiphany, many Italians andare a messa, or “go to mass,” the more popular traditions may surprise you.

1- The Legend of La Befana

According to an Italian belief, on the night between January 5 and 6, a vecchia signora, or “old woman,” called Befana—who’s ugly and old and rides on a broomstick—goes into every home to fill the socks of the good children (bambini buoni) with candies and sweets, and distribute coal to the bad children (bambini cattivi). The kids really like this celebration of the Epiphany, because even if they get a bit of coal, they still always receive a lot of candies and chocolates. This belief also explains why the Epiphany is more commonly known as the Day of the Befana.

In Venice, the Befana travels on a boat! In fact, every year, on January 6, a boat race of the Befana is organized, led by athletes dressed as Befana, who compete on the Grand Canal.

2- More Epiphany Traditions

On this day, after opening the socks filled with candy (caramella), Italians get together with their families to enjoy lunch together. The most typical food eaten on Epiphany in Italy is sweets, including focaccia of the Epiphany. This is a cake that has a fava bean placed inside it; the one who finds this dry bean will have very good fortune throughout the year. The afternoon of this day is also an opportunity to go out for a walk around the historic centers of the city, where there are small markets selling sweets.

During the Epiphany Festival, Italy’s most common activity is actually to take away all the Christmas decorations, such as the Christmas tree and the nativity scene. This is because Epiphany marks the official end of Christmastime.

4. Origin of “Epiphany”

Do you know the meaning and origin of the word “epiphany”?

It is a word with Greek origins that means “appearance” or “revelation.” Some people also celebrate Epiphany as the day on which the Trinity of God was “revealed” during the baptism of Jesus, thus the holiday’s name.

5. Must-Know Vocabulary for Epiphany in Italy

Ready to review some of the vocabulary words we went over in this article? Here’s the essential Italian vocabulary for Epiphany!

• Caramella — “Candy”
• Epifania — “Epiphany”
• Andare a messa — “Go to mass”
• Carbone dolce — “Sweet coal“
• Calza — “Stocking”
• Vecchia signora — “Old woman”
• Magi — “Magi”
• Regalo — “Gift”
• Fine del Natale — “End of Christmas”
• Scopa — “Broomstick”
• Befana — “Befana”
• Bambino cattivo — “Bad child”
• Bambino buono — “Good child”

To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, and to read them alongside relevant images, be sure to check out our Italian Epiphany vocabulary list.

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed learning about the Feast of Epiphany in Italy with us!

Do you celebrate Epiphany in your country? If so, are celebrations similar or different from those in Italy? Let us know in the comments!

If you’re interested in learning more about Italian culture, or if you want some wintery words up your sleeve to get you through the next couple of months, you may find the following pages useful:

• Italian Culture
• Tourist Attractions in Italy
• Italian Hand Gestures: Talk with Hands Like a Real Italian
• Words for Winter Snow Days
• How Will You Spend Your Winter Holiday?

Italian is a beautiful language, and learning it doesn’t need to be boring or overwhelming. With ItalianPod101.com, it can even be fun! If you’re serious about mastering the language, create your free lifetime account today.

Happy Italian learning!

Do you need to plan a date with an Italian friend? Or do you simply need to confirm the day of your next Italian lesson? Maybe you’re reading an important letter or document, but don’t know how to read dates in Italian. You’ll need to be able to talk about time and dates in Italian to communicate on a daily basis.

Days, weeks, months, years. They go so fast…but don’t worry! You’ll learn how to say the days of the week in Italian, the months of the year, and all the other tricks of the Italian calendar with this simple guide on how to talk about dates in Italian. You’ll be saying dates in Italian and making appointments before you know it!

Table of Contents

1. How to Write and Read Dates in Italian
2. How to Say the Years in Italian
3. How to Say the Months in Italian
4. How to Say the Days
5. How to Say the Days of the Week
6. What Would You Say to Fix the Date of an Appointment?
7. Must-Know Phrases to Talk about Dates
8. Italian Dates You Should Know
9. You Don’t Need to Study Einstein…
10. Conclusion: How ItalianPod101 Can Help You Master Italian

1. How to Write and Read Dates in Italian

The first step is learning how to write dates in Italian.

Dates in Italian follow the same order that they do in all European countries: giorno-mese-anno (or “day-month-year” in English). In other words, you start with the day, then the month, and you put the year at the end. So, if you’re writing dates in Italian in a letter or filling out a form on February 18, dates in Italian format will look like this:

18/02/2019.

If, instead of writing, you need to know how to say dates in Italian, you read it by adding the article: Oggi è il 18 febbraio 2019 (duemila diciannove) which translates to “Today is the 18th of February, 2019.”

Knowing how to say months and dates in Italian comes in handy when you’re asked your date of birth. Do you know how to say that?

          Sono nato/a il 3 maggio del 1983.
          ”I was born May 3, 1983.”

Another way of saying it, of course, would be:

          Il mio compleanno è il 3 maggio.
          ”My birthday is May 3.”

Once your birthday comes around, be ready to receive Tanti auguri! from your friends (literally “Many wishes” in English) or Buon compleanno! (or “Happy birthday!” in English).

Tanti auguri, nonna! (Happy birthday, granma!)

2. How to Say the Years in Italian

The next important step in learning how to express dates in Italian is the years. Talking about the years in Italian can be a bit challenging as they’re very big numbers. These are the basics:

In Italian, you have to read the thousands first (1000 = mille), then the hundreds (900 = novecento) and finally tens and units (99 = novantanove).

Or, for a more recent date: duemila diciannove (2019). In this case, there are no hundreds, so we skip directly to the tens and units.

Do you want to know more (big and small) about numbers? Check out this comprehensive article!

3. How to Say the Months in Italian

To help you out with your agenda and your birthday schedule, here’s a list of all Italian months. As you can see, the names of Italian months aren’t too different from the English ones.

I mesi in Italiano	Months in English
gennaio	January
febbraio	February
marzo	March
aprile	April
maggio	May
giugno	June
luglio	July
agosto	August
settembre	September
ottobre	October
novembre	November
dicembre	December

Notice how the names of the months in Italian don’t need to be capitalized, unless they’re at the beginning of a sentence. As in:

• Dicembre è un mese freddo, mentre agosto è un mese caldo.
  “December is a cold month, while August is a hot month.”

You might need to practice the pronunciation of some of the Italian months. Giugno (June) and luglio (July) are the two most difficult ones, as they contain two digraphs that you find only in Italian: gl and gn. You can practice those the next time you plan a summer trip to the Italian coastline, as those are the perfect months to enjoy the beaches!

Una bella giornata di giugno al mare (A nice June day at the beach)

And if you’re writing down the months in Italian, don’t forget the doppie, meaning “double consonants,” in gennaio, febbraio, maggio, settembre, and ottobre (January, February, May, September, and October). (link to pronunciation)

Maybe it won’t be this year, but every four years something very special happens: we have an anno bisestile (or “a leap year” in English). This is when February has 29 days instead of 28.

4. How to Say the Days

In Italian, when we say the days of the month, we always use the cardinal number, preceded by the correct masculine, singular, definite article. For example:

• Oggi è il 18 (diciotto) febbraio.
  “Today is February 18.”

The only exception is the first day of the month, when we can also use the ordinal number for “one.”

• Il primo maggio è festa. or L’uno maggio è festa.
  “May first is a holiday.”

Notice how you can say either il primo giugno or il primo di giugno (both meaning “June 1″ in English).

All other dates of the month in Italian follow the general rule that they’re written and pronounced as cardinal numbers. So, here they go:

l’uno (il primo)	1
il due	2
il tre	3
il quattro	4
il cinque	5
il sei	6
il sette	7
l’otto	8
il nove	9
il dieci	10
l’undici	11
il dodici	12
il tredici	13
il quattordici	14
il quindici	15
il sedici	16
il diciassette	17
il diciotto	18
il diciannove	19
il venti	20
il ventuno	21
il ventidue	22
il ventitré	23
il ventiquattro	24
il venticinque	25
il ventisei	26
il ventisette	27
il ventotto	28
il ventinove	29
il trenta	30
il trentuno	31

If you’re not sure how many days are in a specific month, here’s a traditional Italian nursery rhyme that you can learn to help you memorize the days of every month.

Trenta giorni ha novembre
con april, giugno e settembre.
Di ventotto ce n’è uno,
tutti gli altri ne han trentuno.

“Thirty days has November
With April, June, and September.
Twenty-eight there is just one,
All the others have thirty-one.”

Do you want to try it?

5. How to Say the Days of the Week

Now that you have a good idea of how to say the dates in Italian, you should know how to talk about the days of the week in Italian. Like the names of the months, these aren’t capitalized. Here’s a list of the days of the week in Italian:

lunedì	Monday
martedì	Tuesday
mercoledì	Wednesday
giovedì	Thursday
venerdì	Friday
sabato	Saturday
domenica	Sunday

Don’t forget the accent on the final ì of the first five days of the week. The ending -dì means “day” (from the Latin word for “day,” dies), and you can still find it in poetry or in certain words such as buondì or mezzodì, instead of buongiorno (good morning) or mezzogiorno (noon).

Monday through Friday are giorni lavorativi (or “weekdays” in English) because they’re the days of the week “when people go to work.” Remember that like all the other Italian words that end with an accent, they’re invariable, meaning that they don’t change in the plural. However, sabato and domenica, which are giorni feriali, meaning “weekends,” can have regular plurals (sabati, domeniche).

For example:

• Tutti i sabati e tutte le domeniche dormo fino a tardi.
  “All Saturdays and Sundays I sleep late.”

Lunedì è il giorno della luna. (Monday is the day of the moon.)

Like all romance languages, which are the languages derived from Latin, the names of the days of the week in Italian originate from the names of the planets, which in turn come from the names of the ancient gods. This was a system devised by the Greeks and then perfected by the Romans. The good news is that once you learn the days of the week in Italian, you’ll easily master the skies too:

Day of the Week	Planet/God	English equivalent
Lunedì	Luna	Moon
Martedì	Marte	Mars
Mercoledì	Mercurio	Mercury
Giovedì	Giove	Jupiter
Venerdì	Venere	Venus

Sabato (Saturday) and domenica (Sunday) have a different religious origin, as sabato comes from the Hebrew Sabbath—the day of rest—and domenica means “Day of the Lord.”

6. What Would You Say to Fix the Date of an Appointment?

Now that you’ve mastered how to say the dates, the days, the months, and the years in Italian, it’s time to make some plans! Nothing is more fun than meeting with new and old friends, and organizing a night out or a weekend away.

Ci vediamo sabato per un caffè? (Shall we meet on Saturday for a coffee?)

Here are some simple phrases to start doing just that.

Cosa fai il primo marzo?	”What are you doing on March first?”
Hai programmi per domenica?	“Do you have plans for Sunday?”
Sei libero/a questo fine settimana?	“Are you free this weekend?”
Ci vediamo il dodici alle tre.	“Let’s meet on the 12th at three.”

7. Must-Know Phrases to Talk about Dates

If you’re traveling or are on vacation, it’s very easy to lose track of the time. So it’s important to know how to ask “What day is today?” in Italian. There are actually two different ways to tell today’s date:

Oggi è il 25.
Oggi ne abbiamo 25.

Both sentences mean “Today’s the 25th.”

If you want to ask “What day is today?” you can either ask Che giorno è oggi? or Quanti ne abbiamo oggi? But be aware that if you ask the first question, you might be answered: è martedì or è il 15 (meaning “It’s Tuesday,” or “It’s the 15th,” respectively). If you ask the second question, the answer will be more precise, and you’ll be told the exact day of the month: il 15 (meaning “It’s the 15th” in English).

And do you know what ne stands for in the sentence Quanti ne abbiamo? It substitutes “of/about + this, these, that, those,” and refers to the number of days that have passed in a month.

Other useful phrases to ask about dates in Italian are:

Quando/Che giorno inizia il corso?	“When/What day does the course start?”
Quando/Che giorno finisce il corso?	“When/What day does the course end?”
Di che giorno cade Pasqua?	“What day is Easter?” (Literally: “In what day does Easter fall?” translated)

And if you want to know about somebody’s birthday, there are three different ways of asking “When is your birthday?”:

Quand’è il tuo compleanno?
Quando fai il compleanno?
Quando compi gli anni?

8. Italian Dates You Should Know

Natale (Christmas)

The most important (and best) Italian holidays are usually the ones related to family and food. So you don’t want to miss the opportunity to experience this next time you travel to Italy. To help you schedule your next trip, here are the dates you should always keep in mind:

• Quest’anno Pasqua cade il 15 aprile.
  “This year, Easter is April 15th.”
• Pasquetta, il lunedì dopo Pasqua, è un giorno di festa in Italia.
  “Pasquetta, the Monday after Easter, is a holiday in Italy.”
• Il Venerdì Santo si mangiano pesce e verdure.
  “On Good Friday, you eat fish and vegetables.”
• Carnevale è sempre 40 giorni prima di Pasqua.
  “Carnival is always 40 days before Easter.”
• Natale è il 25 dicembre.
  “Christmas is on December 25th.”

And to underline the importance of family gatherings for Christmas, Italians have created this popular saying: Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi. This means: “Christmas with your family, Easter with whoever you want.”

There are also many other local holidays that are celebrated only in specific cities or villages. Usually, these are holidays celebrating the patron saint that protects the city.

9. You Don’t Need to Study Einstein…

… to know that time is relative to your point of view and to a particular moment in time. Talking about time often has to do with something that happened before or that will happen after a specific time.

So, especially when you need to set up an appointment, make plans, or talk about things that happened in the past, you need to learn a few more words about time.

Check out this sequence:

-2		-1		0		+1		+2
l’altro ieri		ieri		oggi		domani		dopodomani
the day before yesterday		yesterday		today		tomorrow		the day after tomorrow

With these words, you’ll be able to express concepts up to two days before or after today.

But what if you want to go beyond that? In this case, you’ll have to use fa (ago) or fra/tra (in). By the way, notice how tra and fra are absolutely synonyms!

• Tre giorni fa. “Three days ago.”
• Fra tre giorni. “In three days.”

The same works for weeks, months, years, etc.

• Sono tornata un mese fa. “I came back one month ago.”
• Vado in Italia fra due settimane. “I travel to Italy in two weeks.”
• Dove sarai tra 10 anni? “Where will you be in 10 years?”

Another relative term when we talk about time is la vigilia, which is, in general, the day that precedes an important event, such as a wedding, an important exam, a very big holiday, etc.

• La vigilia di Natale è il giorno che precede il Natale.
  “Christmas Eve is the night before Christmas.”
• Dormo sempre poco alla vigilia degli esami.
  “I always get little sleep the day before the exams.”
• La sposa è scappata alla vigilia delle nozze.
  “The bride ran away the day before the wedding.”

10. Conclusion: How ItalianPod101 Can Help You Master Italian

Cosa fai oggi? (What is your plan today?)

If you plan to improve your Italian and to be able to travel, meet friends, and learn about an extraordinary country and culture, you’re in the right place. Keep improving and having fun with ItalianPod101!

We provide an array of learning tools for Italian learners at every level, from insightful blog posts like this one to free vocabulary lists so you can improve your language knowledge! For additional convenience, be sure to download our mobile apps to learn Italian anywhere, on your own time!

Learning a language isn’t easy, but your hard work and determination, combined with our constant support, ensures that you can master Italian before you know it!

Before you go, let’s practice. How are dates written in Italian? Write today’s date in the comments section.

Family is a vital institution everywhere in the world, but particularly in Italy. It’s not a cliche: Italians love their family, A LOT. And even if things have changed over the last few decades and huge, extended families aren’t as common as before, Italians still feel a connection toward their family members that’s hard to find in other Western countries.

But then, who doesn’t love their mom and dad, their grannies or little children, and doesn’t feel the need to talk about them with friends? As stated before, Italian extended families are greatly valued in Italian society, so knowing how to talk about them is essential. That’s why we’ve written this guide on how to talk about family in Italian.

Here at ItalianPod101, you’ll learn the basic Italian for family members, read through some Italian family phrases for reference, and discover some very interesting Italian quotes for family. But first, a little information on the average Italian family unit and Italian family roles.

Table of Contents

1. Italian Family Culture: What are Italian Families Like?
2. Dictionary of Terms about Family in Italian
3. Respect Terms vs. Endearment Terms in Italian
4. Italian Quotes and Proverbs about Family
5. ItalianPod101: Learn Italian in the Blink of an Eye with Our Great Tools

1. Italian Family Culture: What are Italian Families Like?

As mentioned above, Italian families have changed a lot in recent history. Until the Fifties, Italy had a largely agricultural economy, with extended, strongly patriarchal families working on lands that they often didn’t own. Then, the economic boom and industrial development happened, with millions of people quickly moving from the poor and undeveloped countryside to the rapidly growing cities. As a consequence, the nuclear family—living in an apartment and raising a small number of children—became the norm.

Nevertheless, uncles, aunts, and cousins are still very important in Italy, probably more so than in other European countries. Cousins are the best game buddies of almost every Italian child, while uncles and aunts are teachers, baby sitters, supports, and examples.

And what about grandparents? Well, they’re simply one of the key figures of every Italian. Since the country doesn’t have a strong enough network of kindergartens, little Italian children spend a lot of their time with their grandparents while their parents are at work.

Growing up with Italian family values certainly has some great pros. As for Italian family traditions, Sunday isn’t simply a day off, but a family meeting with tons of delicious food and loud chats. And there’s always a cousin living in some small Southern city with amazing beaches, who’s very happy to host you during summer holidays.

But there are also some cons. For example, the amoral familism studied by the political scientist Edward C. Banfield in 1955 still somehow survives. That’s to say that Italians often see the interest of their family as more important than the interest of society, even when it damages collective goods.

Many of the Italian family qualities have changed over time, especially since the Italian society is now multicultural. Moreover, a growing number of young people leave the country to look for better opportunities abroad. As a consequence, families are becoming more and more the product of different cultures and experiences.

But enough with history and social sciences. Now that you know a little more about the meaning of family in Italy, let’s dive into our guide of terms about family in Italian!

2. Dictionary of Terms about Family in Italian

Do you want to know how to say “father” in Italian? And what about “mother,” “grandmother,” “aunt,” and all the other Italian family members term that every good family guy must know? Check out our dictionary.

But before that, let’s learn how to say “family” and “my family” in Italian, the root of every family-based conversation.

The Italian word for “family” is famiglia, which is similar in many other European languages. That’s because this word comes from the latin familia, which has an even more ancient origin: faama, meaning “house” in the Oscan language. Fascinating, isn’t it?

So, let’s see some examples of use:

• Example: La mia famiglia è originaria dell’Italia Centrale.
• Translation: “My family comes from Central Italy.”
• Example: Ieri sono andata a trovare la famiglia di Marco.
• Translation: “Yesterday I went to visit Marco’s family.”
• Example: Ho una famiglia molto numerosa.
• Translation: “I have a very big family.”

1- Italian Terms for Parents

• Madre: “Mother”
  • Example: Mia madre è medico e lavora all’ospedale.
  • Translation: “My mother is a doctor and she works at the hospital.”
• Padre: “Father”
  • Example: Il padre di Andrea è molto simpatico.
  • Translation: “Andrea’s father is very nice.”

2- Italian Terms for One’s Children

• Figlio: “Son”
  • Example: Giovanna ha un figlio di tre anni.
  • Translation: “Giovanna has a three-year-old son.”
• Figlia: “Daughter”
  • Example: Mia figlia va molto bene a scuola.
  • Translation: “My daughter is very good at school.”

3- Italian Terms for Siblings

• Fratello: “Brother”
  • Example: Io e mio fratello non andiamo d’accordo.
  • Translation: “My brother and I don’t get along.”
• Sorella: “Sister”
  • Example: Mia sorella si è trasferita a Londra per studiare.
  • Translation: “My sister has moved to London to study.”

4- Italian Terms for Grandparents

• Nonno: “Grandfather”
  • Example: Mio nonno è stato importantissimo per me.
  • Translation: “My grandfather was very important to me.”
• Nonna: “Grandmother”
  • Example: Questo piatto è una ricetta che mi ha insegnato mia nonna.
  • Translation: “This dish is a recipe my grandmother taught me.”

5- Italian Terms for Grandchildren, Nephews, and Nieces

• Nipote: “Grandchild” (m. and f.), “nephew,” and “niece”
  • Example: Mia nipote adora la pallavolo.
  • Translation: “My granddaughter loves volleyball.”
  • Example: Hai già conosciuto mio nipote, Matteo?
  • Translation: “Have you already met my grandson, Matteo?”
  • Example: Quanti anni ha tua nipote, la figlia di tuo fratello?
  • Translation: “How old is your niece, the daughter of your brother?”

6- Italian Terms for Aunts and Uncles

• Zio: “Uncle”
  • Example: Lo zio di Marta vive negli Stati Uniti.
  • Translation: “Marta’s uncle lives in the United States.”
• Zia: “Aunt”
  • Example: La zia di Luca è molto giovane: ha solo 30 anni.
  • Translation: “Luca’s aunt is very young, she’s only 30 years old.”

7- Italian Terms for Cousins

• Cugino: “Cousin” (male)
  • Example: Hai chiamato tuo cugino?
  • Translation: “Did you call your cousin?”
• Cugina: “Cousin” (female)
  • Example: Ieri ho incontrato tua cugina al concerto.
  • Translation: “Yesterday I saw your cousin at the concert.”

8- Italian Terms for Family Members as a Married Person

• Marito: “Husband”
  • Example: Il marito di Lucia è appassionato di trekking.
  • Translation: “Lucia’s husband is a trekking enthusiast.”
• Moglie: “Wife”
  • Example: No, mia moglie non è in casa.
  • Translation: “No, my wife isn’t at home.”
• Suocero: “Father-in-law”
  • Example: Mio suocero era un pittore e poeta.
  • Translation: “My father-in-law was a painter and a poet.”
• Suocera: “Mother-in-law”
  • Example: Mia suocera purtroppo è morta prima che mio figlio nascesse.
  • Translation: “Unfortunately, my mother-in-law died before my son was born.”
• Genero: “Son-in-law”
  • Example: L’uomo vestito di blu è il genero di GIuliano.
  • Translation: “The man dressed in blue is Giuliano’s son-in-law.”
• Nuora: “Daughter-in-law”
  • Example: Io e mia nuora siamo molto legate.
  • Translation: “My daughter-in-law and I are very close.”
• Cognato: “Brother-in-law”
  • Example: Io e mio cognato siamo amici d’infanzia.
  • Translation: “My brother-in-law and I are childhood friends.”
• Cognata: “Sister-in-law”
  • Example: Andavo a scuola con tua cognata, alle elementari.
  • Translation: “I went to school with your sister-in-law, at primary school.”

3. Respect Terms vs. Endearment Terms in Italian

The terms for family in Italian are both common terms and respectful terms. Unlike in other languages, Japanese for example, Italian doesn’t have specific respectful expressions when talking about a third party.

When addressing someone older than you whom you’re not familiar with, or in a formal relationship, you’re expected to use the third person lei formula. But in a family, you don’t usually do this; you simply address everyone with the second person tu. Although, if you’re about to meet your parents-in-law and they’re old, it can be polite to start with lei. Afterwards, they’ll most certainly ask you to switch to the more familiar tu.

And what about endearment terms? You’re expected to only use them in a family context, and they are:

• Papà: “Dad”
• Babbo: “Dad “in Central Italy
• Mamma: “Mom”
• Nonnina: “Granny”
• Nonnino: “Grandpa”

4. Italian Quotes and Proverbs about Famil

There are so many Italian quotes about family and local proverbs, that it’s really hard to choose which ones to include. We’ve collected a few of the most famous Italian family quotes for you below:

• Mogli e buoi dei paesi tuoi.
  “When you choose a wife or a cow, it’s better to go to your own village.”
• Il frutto non cade mai lontano dall’albero.
  “A fruit always falls next to its tree.”
  Note: This phrase means that a bad person always comes from a bad family or environment.
• Parenti serpenti.
  “Relatives are like snakes.”
  Note: This phrase means that relatives are dangerous and traitors.
• Tale padre, tale figlio.
  “Like father, like son.”

5. ItalianPod101: Learn Italian in the Blink of an Eye with Our Great Tools

Are you eager to start talking to your Italian family like you’d grown up with them? Then we can help you. Here at ItalianPod101, we’ve created a series of amazing tools to help you learn Italian in a heartbeat, while having fun! For example, our super-efficient apps, that allow you to learn everywhere you are and anytime you want. And if you’re in doubt, you can always count on the advice of our friendly community.

Start now! But before you head off, let us know in the comments if there are any family terms you still want to know! We look forward to hearing from you.

Traveling is wonderful. You get to know new places and ways of life, meet different people, and relax—far from your usual routine. Regular contact with a new language is another huge plus. And when you travel, you can learn that language in the most fun and interesting way.

Nevertheless, you should still know a few important phrases before jumping on a plane and heading for a new country. If that country is Italy, there’s even more reason to learn some phrases in advance; we’ll explain why in a bit.

Ready to learn Italian travel phrases, and other Italian phrases about travel?

Welcome to ItalianPod101’s guide to Italian phrases for travel!

Table of Contents

1. Why it’s Important to Know a Few Phrases when Traveling
2. Do Italians Speak English?
3. The Essential Italian Phrases for Travel
4. How ItalianPod101 Can Help You Get Ready for Your Travel to Italy

1. Why it’s Important to Know a Few Phrases when Traveling

Before we go over our list of common Italian travel phrases, do you know why they’re important to learn in the first place?

There are at least three reasons why you should learn some bits of a language before your trip:

• Because you’ll start knowing the country that you’ll soon be visiting. Language is a key element in culture, and it’s a window to look into its habits and traditions.
• Because you’ll be able to talk to everyone in the most direct way. People tend to appreciate tourists that speak a bit of their language—and you might end up with some new friends!
• Because you might need these phrases in case of an emergency. English is a widely spoken language in most of the world, but this doesn’t mean that everyone knows it. In fact, it’s estimated that there are about 1.5-billion English-speakers in the world. This is a lot, but it’s still only twenty percent of the world’s population.

2. Do Italians Speak English?

According to the English Proficiency Index, Italy ranks twenty-fourth out of thirty-two European countries for English-speaking skills. This is worse than any other Western European country except France (which still is a nice victory over its cousins beyond the Alps). It’s also the worst of most of the old Eastern Bloc.

Why? Mainly because Italy is an old country. The average age is very high and people over sixty-five years old rarely speak English. Most young people today speak at least some basic English, but when visiting Italy, you’ll notice that the population, in general, is older than in other countries. Italians also have a higher retirement age, meaning that they keep on working longer, so you’re more likely to be in contact with them.

So yes, it’s a nice idea to learn some key Italian phrases to be able to communicate a bit.

Knowing just a few simple Italian travel phrases will make your life—and the lives of the many Italians that you’ll meet—better. Furthermore, Italian is the language of love, and we at ItalianPod101 strongly believe that everybody should know at least some Italian travel words and phrases.

3. The Essential Italian Phrases for Travel

We’ve created an easy-to-use collection of the most useful Italian phrases for tourists on their Italy travels. Enjoy!

1- Useful Italian Travel Phrases for Good Manners

We’ll start off with some phrases to help you practice good manners in Italy. Here’s an essential list of greetings and other useful expressions for your Italy travels. You can also hear Italian travel phrases with pronunciation by visiting our relevant vocabulary lists, where you can find an audio alongside these useful phrases.

• Ciao
  • “Hello.”
• Buongiorno
  • “Good morning,” or “Good day.” This phrase is actually used until about four o’clock p.m.
• Buonasera
  • “Good evening.”
• Buonanotte
  • “Good night.”
• Sì
  • “Yes.”
• No
  • “No.”
• Grazie
  • “Thank you.”
• Per favore
  • “Please.”
• Scusa
  • “Excuse me.” This can also mean, “Forgive me,” when said to a young person or a friend.
• Scusi
  • This means the same thing, but when said to an older person or in a formal occasion.
• Come va?
  • “How are you?”
• Bene, grazie
  • “Fine, thanks.”
• Non parlo italiano
  • “I don’t speak Italian.”
• Bello
  • “Beautiful,” or “Great.” You’ll notice that Italians say this a lot.

2- Essential Italian Travel Phrases for Transportation

Some of the most useful travel phrases in Italian have to do with getting from A to B. Moving around in Italy, especially in Rome or Naples, can be a bit complicated. Buses aren’t always the most reliable means of transportation, and metros don’t cover the entire city.

But don’t worry, you have our collection of basic Italian phrases for travel to help you get around Italy anyway!

• Dov’è la fermata dell’autobus?
  • “Where is the bus stop?”
• Dov’è la stazione della metropolitana?
  • “Where is the metro station?”
• Quante fermate per il Colosseo?
  • “How many stops to the Colosseum?”
• Dritto
  • “Straight.”
• A destra
  • “To the right.”
• A sinistra
  • “To the left.”
• Quando passa l’autobus?
  • “When does the bus come?”
• A che ora parte il treno?
  • “What time does the train leave?”
• Quanto costa il biglietto?
  • “How much is the ticket?”
• Quanto costa la corsa in taxi fino all’aeroporto?
  • “How much is the taxi ride to the airport?”

3- Italian Phrases for Accomodation

In the vast majority of hotels and other accommodation structures, you’ll find an English-speaking staff. But things might be different if you stay at a small B&B or if you rent a home in someone’s apartment, especially far from the most popular tourist destinations.

In that case, you can find a host that speaks very poor English or doesn’t speak it at all.

If that does happen to you, here are some key Italian travel phrases to know:

• Avete una camera libera per stanotte?
  • “Do you have a free room for tonight?”
• Quanto costa la camera?
  • “How much is the room?”
• A che ora è il check-in/check-out?
  • “What time is the check-in/check-out?”
• A che ora servite la colazione?
  • “What time do you serve breakfast?”
• Posso pagare con carta di credito?
  • “Can I pay with credit card?”
• Vorrei una camera con due letti singoli/con un letto matrimoniale.
  • “I’d like a room with two single beds/one double bed.”

4- Italian Phrases for Visiting

Yes, most staff in museums and tourist sites speak English. But still, isn’t it more charming to speak Italian while walking down the Uffizi Gallery or Pompei’s roads? Check out these basic Italian words for tourists visiting this country’s many beauties:

• Avete una guida in inglese?
  • “Do you have a guide in English?”
• Quanto dura la visita?
  • “How long does the visit take?”
• Amo l’arte italiana.
  • “I love the Italian art.”
• Chi è l’autore di questo dipinto?
  • “Who’s the author of this painting?”
• Di che epoca è questo sito?
  • “What time period is this site from?”
• In quale secolo è stata costruita questa chiesa?
  • “In what century was this church built?”

5- Italian Phrases for Shopping

Shopping in Italy is something you can’t miss. Fashion, art, handicrafts, antiques, food, wine…there are so many unique products you can only buy here. Here are the most useful Italian phrases for travel and shopping:

• Quanto costa?
  • “How much is it?”
• Costa…:
  • “It costs….”
• Posso avere uno sconto?
  • “Can I have a discount?”
• A che ora aprite?
  • “What time do you open?”
• A che ora chiudete?
  • “What time do you close?”
• Apriamo/chiudiamo alle…:
  • “We open/close at…”
• Vorrei restituire questo.
  • “I’d like to return this.”
• Può fare un pacchetto regalo, per favore?
  • “Can you gift wrap it, please?”
• Siete aperti di domenica?
  • “Are you open on Sundays?”
• Avete questa camicia in una taglia più grande/più piccola?
  • “Do you have this shirt in a bigger/smaller size?”

6- Italian Phrases for Emergencies

Nobody wants to experience an emergency, especially when far from home. It’s better to be prepared, but we want to reassure you: Italy is a safe country. Petty crime is common in crowded places, like in every other country in the world, but violent crime is rare.

Things have changed a lot over the last few decades, and crime statistics show a constant decrease. Moreover, the country has one of the best public healthcare systems in the world, even if hospitals in the South tend to be worse than in the North. Policemen always speak at least a little English at the tourist locations, as do most doctors across the country.

Still, if you have a condition or severe allergies, it’s always wise to learn their name in the native language before going abroad.

Check out these Italian phrases for tourists experiencing an emergency:

• Aiuto!
  • “Help!”
• Chiamate la polizia.
  • “Call the police.”
• Chiamate un’ambulanza.
  • “Call an ambulance.”
• Mi hanno derubato.
  • “I’ve been robbed.”
• Mi hanno rubato il portafoglio / il cellulare / la borsa.
  • “They stole my wallet / cellphone / bag.”
• Devo andare all’ambasciata di [your country].
  • “I have to go to the embassy of [your country].”
• Dove ha male?
  • “Where does it hurt?”
• Ho male al petto / alla pancia / alla schiena.
  • “My chest / my stomach / my back hurts.”
• Prende delle medicine ogni giorno?
  • “Do you take some daily medication?”
• Sì, prendo…
  • “Yes, I take…”
• Ha delle allergie?
  • “Do you have any allergies?”
• Sì, sono allergico a [allergen name].
  • “Yes, I’m allergic to…”
• Non trovo mio figlio.
  • “I can’t find my son.”
• Mi sono perso.
  • “I got lost.”
• C’è un medico che parla inglese?
  • “Is there a doctor who speaks English?”

7- Italian Phrases for the Restaurant

And now the best part of every travel to Italy: Food!

Here are some basic Italian phrases for travel to help you enjoy the local food experience to its fullest without language barriers:

• È buonissimo!
  • “It’s really good!”
• Vorrei prenotare un tavolo per quattro per stasera, per favore.
  • “I’d like to reserve a table for four for tonight, please.”
• Vorremmo ordinare, per favore.
  • “We’d like to order, please.”
• Avete dei piatti vegetariani?
  • “Do you have any vegetarian dishes?”
• Vorrei del vino locale.
  • “I’d like some local wine.”
• Può portare il sale / l’olio / il parmigiano, per favore?
  • “Could you bring the salt / oil / parmesan, please?”
• Complimenti al cuoco!
  • “Compliments to the chef!”
• Può portare il conto, per favore?
  • “Can I have the check, please?”

How ItalianPod101 Can Help You Get Ready for Your Travel to Italy

What did you think of our list of best Italian travel phrases? We hope that with our guide, you’re well-equipped with basic Italian travel phrases to help you on your travels in Italy!

Do you still want more Italian phrases for travel? Check out our articles and guides about this topic and get ready for your Italian adventure!

With ItalianPod101, you’ll be able to learn Italian the fastest and most entertaining way. Prepare for your trip by learning some Italian vocabulary, culture, body language, and much more. Use our apps to improve your Italian anywhere you are and whenever you want. And if you have any doubts or want to share your progress and opinions, there’s our amazing forum, full of other students like you!

Numbers are one of the first things we learn when we’re kids. They seem really simple, right? But while numbers are written the same way in every (Western) language, they’re not only pronounced differently, but also used differently from country to country.

Buying groceries, telling your age, giving your phone number, or letting someone know your home address in Italy. To do any of these basic actions, you’ll need to master Italian numbers. Numbers are everywhere, so you better start practicing them. Don’t forget to check out ItalianPod101.com for a complete lesson on how to master Italian numbers to learn Italian more completely. You can also find complementary info for the numbers in Italian courses.

In the meantime, here’s our numbers in Italian lesson! Learn how to say numbers in Italian and more!

Table of Contents

1. Italian Basic Numbers: 0-9
2. Italian Numbers 10-99
3. Italian Numbers 100-999
4. Very Big Italian Numbers. From 1000, Up and Beyond…
5. How to Give Your Phone Number in Italian
6. Shopping - Saying Prices
7. Telling Your Age
8. Talking About the Years
9. Numbers in Proverbs
10. Math Operations
11. Conclusion

1. Italian Basic Numbers: 0-9

Let’s start easy. How do you say and pronounce Italian numbers from zero to nine? Here we’ll show you the basic Italian numbers with English translations.

0 - Zero: “Zero”

The spelling “zero” in Italian is the same as in English, but the sound is quite different because the Italian “Z” has a harder sound, more like the sound ds or ts.

Besides its very important use in math operations, the zero is extremely useful for Italian phone numbers, and we’ll see that in a bit.

It’s also useful in some particular expressions, such as Sei uno zero. Watch out, because this isn’t a very nice thing to say to somebody as it literally means “You are a zero,” meaning that the person is nothing, null, or worthless. There’s even a numeric way to say sei uno zero, can you guess how? (You’ll find the answer at the end of the article.)

Note that this is also the name of an Italian comedy radio program.

1 - Uno: “One”

The peculiarity about uno (“one”) is that it’s also an indefinite article, and as such it’s necessary to follow the agreement F/M and change it into un, uno, una when necessary. The rest of the numbers are just straightforward:

2- Due “Two”
3- Tre “Three”
4- Quattro “Four”
5- Cinque “Five”
6- Sei “Six”
7- Sette “Seven”
8- Otto “Eight”
9- Nove “Nine”

2. Italian Numbers 10-99

The Italian numbers from 10 to 19 can be a little tricky to remember because, in order to compose the number, you need to follow two different patterns. Let’s see how these Italian numbers in writing look.

From 10 to 16 the pattern is number + dici, as follows:

11- Undici (uno+dici) “Eleven”
12- Dodici (due+dici) “Twelve”
13- Tredici (tre+dici) “Thirteen”
14- Quattordici (quattro+dici) “Fourteen”
15- Quindici (cinque+dici) “Fifteen”
16- Sedici (sei+dici) “Sixteen”

From 17 to 19 the pattern inverts, and it’s dici + number, as follows:

17- Diciassette (dici+sette) “Seventeen”
18- Diciotto (dici+otto) “Eighteen”
19- Diciannove (dici+nove) “Nineteen”

But there’s no need to worry, because from 20 on, it becomes much simpler. You just put the numbers together with the tens. No spaces and no hyphens.

2- Venti “Twenty”
3- Trenta “Thirty”
4- Quaranta “Forty”
5- Cinquanta “Fifty”
6- Sessanta “Sixty”
7- Settanta “Seventy”
8- Ottanta “Eighty”
9- Novanta “Ninety”

So, for example, for the Italian number 64, we write sessantaquattro (“sixty-four”), 99 is novantanove (“ninety-nine”), etc.

There are just two small rules to keep in mind: 1.) Drop the last vowel in the tens when pairing it with uno (“one”) and otto (“eight”). For example, quarantuno (“forty-one”) and quarantotto (“forty-eight”); 2.) Put an acute accent on the last syllable when pairing any tens with tre (“three”). For example, quarantatré (“forty-three”).

Note that from 40 on, there’s a pattern and the tens always end in -anta. For this reason, when talking about age, it’s common in Italy to say that somebody has “entered, passed, or is in the -anta,” meaning that they’ve passed 40 years of age and have entered the years of maturity.
Oggi entro negli -anta. “Today I am forty.”

3. Italian Numbers 100-999

And finally, we get to 100, cento (“one-hundred”). Note how “one-hundred” is just cento, without the need of un in front. While starting from 200, you just put the number before, and leave cento unvaried. For example:

200- duecento “two-hundred”
300- trecento “three-hundred”
423- trecentoventitrè “three-hundred twenty-three”
518- cinquecentodiciotto “five-hundred and eighteen”

And so on…

Perhaps the most widely known Italian number is 500, because of the legendary car Cinquecento (“Five hundred”). Everybody knows the little rounded car made by FIAT in the ‘60s… But do you actually know why it’s called 500? Two reasons: It had around 500cc of engine capacity and it cost just around 500.000 lire (that is, the Italian currency before the Euro).

4. Very Big Italian Numbers. From 1000, Up and Beyond…

Similar to cento (“one-hundred”) is the behavior of 1000. In Italian, you don’t need to add “one” in front of it. It’s simply mille (“one-thousand”). But note how from 2000 upward, mille becomes mila. This is how it works:

1000- mille “one-thousand”
2000- duemila “two-thousand”
3000- tremila “three-thousand”
4006- quattromila e sei “four-thousand and six”
50.000- cinquanta mila “fifty-thousand”
200.000- duecento mila “two-hundred thousand”

And finally you have the very big numbers:
1.000.000- un milione “one-million”
2.000.000 due milioni “two-millions”
1.000.000.000 un miliardo “one-billion”
3.000.000.000 tre miliardi “three-billions”

And so on…

By now it should be fairly easy to know how to say and write Italian numbers, but there are still a few little differences from English.

For example, while in English for 1100 or 1200 you can say “eleven-hundred” and “twelve-hundred” respectively, in Italian there’s no equivalent for it. Instead, you can only say millecento (“one-thousand one-hundred”) and mille e duecento (“one-thousand and two-hundred”).

Another difference is how Italians say tens, hundreds, and thousands. Here are these Italian numbers in English and Italian.

• Decine “Tens”
• Centinaia “Hundreds”
• Migliaia “Thousands”

C’erano centinaia di persone al Colosseo. “There were hundreds of people at the Colosseum.”

5. How to Give Your Phone Number in Italian

Now that you know the basics of Italian numbers, you can talk to Italians and dive into a few activities that require the use of numbers. For example, exchanging phone numbers. You know, without our phones we are nobody! So you want to be able to give your phone number to Italians and to understand other people’s numbers.

If you’re in Italy, you need to learn about prefisso. This could either be the “area code” or the “international dialing code.”

• Il prefisso dell’Inghilterra è +44. “UK dialing code is +44.”
• Qual è il prefisso di Roma? 06. “What is Rome’s area code? 06.”

Note that only for landlines you need to put the city area code in front of it. And this area code always starts with 0. If you’re calling a mobile phone anywhere in Italy, you don’t need the area code.

6. Shopping - Saying Prices

One of the pleasures of traveling is that of going shopping to buy souvenirs or food. And if you’re in Italy, you can’t miss the experience of walking around a mercatino, a “little market.” In these neighborhood markets, you find delicious fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and much more! They usually appear once a week, early in the morning, and you should ask around about when and where the mercatino near you is.

And now, are you ready to shop? Here are a few useful phrases:

• Quanto costa? Quant’è? “What’s the price? How much is it?”
• Le fragole costano due euro e dieci. “Strawberries cost two euros and ten.”
• Costa/è/viene… these are all synonyms to say “it costs/it’s…”

If saying the numbers in Italian seems complicated, think about how it was before the Euro substituted the Italian Lira. Prices now are much easier to say because they’re not as large as before. Just imagine that a single coffee used to cost around mille lire (“one thousand lira”)! Can you imagine how much a pizza would cost in Lire? And what about a Ferrari?

Al mercato (“At the market”)

7. Telling Your Age

In Italian, to say your age, you say that you have a certain number of years. So, for example:

Ho 24 anni, literally means that you “have 24 years” and not “I’m 24 years old.” To talk about relative age instead, you say that you have more/less years than someone else. Ho due anni più/meno di te literally means “I have two years more/less than you,” meaning that “you are two years younger/older.”

8. Talking About the Years

During a conversation with Italians, you’ll often have to talk about the years. The year we’re on, the year you or somebody else was born, or the year when some specific event occurred. In Italy, you’ll often find yourself involved in a conversation about history and art. So, learning how to talk about the years will be very handy.

Let’s start with the millennium and the year we’re in.

• Siamo nel 2018 “We’re in 2018.” Remember that in Italian you pronounce it duemilae diciotto.
• Era il 2001/Era il duemila e uno. “It was 2001.”

When you want to talk about a decade of the last century in general, you would say gli anni settanta, and you write it this way: gli anni ‘60 (“the sixties”).

• Amo la musica anni ‘80. “I love eighties music.”
• Sono nata negli anni ‘60 . “I was born in the sixties.”

Or, if you want to talk about a specific year, let’s say 1984, you can shorten it and just say ‘84, l’ottantaquattro.

• Ci siamo conosciuti nell’ottantaquattro. “We first met in ‘84.”
• Il ‘96 è stata un’ottima annata per il vino. “‘96 was a very good year for wine.”

And if you want to go back in time, even more, you’ll need to know how to talk about centuries. For this, you need to review ordinal and Roman numbers as this is used to count centuries. (Italian numbers in letters? Yup!)

Ordinal	Roman	Alternative
il ventunesimo secolo	XXI		“Twenty-first century”	2001-2100
Il ventesimo secolo	XX	Il Novecento	“Twentieth century”	1901-2000
Il diciannovesimo secolo	XIX	l’Ottocento	“Nineteenth century”	1801-1900
Il diciottesimo secolo	XVIII	Il Settecento	“Eighteenth century”	1701-1800
Il diciassettesimo secolo	XVII	Il Seicento	“Seventeenth century”	1601-1700
Il sedicesimo secolo	XVI	Il Cinquecento	“Sixteenth century”	1501-1600
etc…

9. Numbers in Proverbs

Numbers are everywhere in our daily lives and it’s no wonder that they also have a big space in Italian proverbs and common sayings. Here are some of the most common and meaningful:

Sayings with Numbers	Literal Meaning	Real Meaning
Non c’è due senza tre	“There’s no two without three”	Good or bad things always come in threes
Dare i numeri	“Giving numbers”	Being crazy or confused
Costa 4 soldi	“It costs 4 coins”	Being really cheap
Sparare a zero	“Shoot to zero”	Insulting or badmouthing somebody
Sudare sette camicie	“Sweat seven shirts”	To make a tremendous effort

10. Math Operations

And last but definitely not least, you’ll need to practice how to talk about simple math operations in Italian.

+	più	2 più 2 uguale 4	“2 plus 2 equals 4”
-	meno	5 meno 2 fa 3	“5 minus 2 equals 3”
x	per	3 per 2 uguale 6	“3 times 2 is 6”
:	diviso	6 diviso 3 uguale 2	“6 divided by 3 equals 2”

When you’re writing numbers in Italian, there are some other little differences, particularly relative to periods and commas. Italian numbers use the period with thousands and the comma for decimals. For example:

• 1.000 mille “one-thousand” (in English you would write 1,000)
• 1,5 uno virgola cinque “one dot five” (in English you would write 1.5)

And now, as promised… here’s the answer on how to say sei uno zero in numbers: 610 (sei [6] uno [1] zero [0]). Clever, right?

11. Conclusion

Have you enjoyed discovering all about Italian numbers? I’m sure that you’re now ready to tackle phone numbers, addresses, prices, and numbers up to a miliardo (”billion”). Hopefully you’ve also learned a little bit about numbers in Italian grammar.

But if you want to keep having fun learning Italian, don’t miss out on all the material available on ItalianPod101.com.

This includes helpful, relevant, and free vocabulary lists, as well as our MyTeacher program, which allows you to have one-on-one guidance as you delve into the Italian language and culture.

You deserve to have the best Italian-learning experience, and ItalianPod101.com has your back!

You’re learning to speak Italian, and it’s going well. Your confidence is growing! So much so that you feel ready to share your experiences on social media—in Italian.

At Learn Italian, we make this easy for you to get it right the first time. Post like a boss with these phrases and guidelines, and get to practice your Italian in the process.

1. Talking about Your Restaurant Visit in Italian

Eating out is fun, and often an experience you’d like to share. Take a pic, and start a conversation on social media in Italian. Your friend will be amazed by your language skills…and perhaps your taste in restaurants!

Matteo eats at a restaurant with his friends, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Ottimo cibo e ottima compagnia!
“Great food and great company!”

1- Ottimo cibo

First is an expression meaning “Great food.”
This expression means that the food is extremely good. Italian adjectives change according to the noun they’re referring to. In this sentence, it takes the singular masculine form.

2- e ottima compagnia

Then comes the phrase - “and great company.”
And here you can see the feminine singular form of the adjective meaning “great.”

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Buon appetito!

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Enjoy your meal!”
This is a commonly-used, well known comment, good for any post involving eating.

2- Wow, che ristorante è?

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Wow, which restaurant is that?”
Asking a question is a very good way to keep conversation going.

3- Salutami i tuoi amici.

His girlfriend, Giulia, uses an expression meaning - “Say hi to your friends for me.”
A friendly, warm comment!

4- Non spendere troppo!

His girlfriend’s nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “Don’t spend too much!”
Francesco is obviously the worripot or realist in the family. A friendly admonition to not overspend.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

ottimo: “great, excellent, very good”

appetito: “appetite”

ristorante: “restaurant”

amici: “friends”

spendere: “to spend”

troppo: “too much”

So, let’s practice a bit. If a friend posted something about having dinner with friends, which phrase would you use?

Now go visit an Italian restaurant, and wow the staff with your language skills!

2. Post about Your Mall Visit in Italian

Another super topic for social media is shopping—everybody does it, most everybody loves it, and your friends on social media are probably curious about your shopping sprees! Share these Italian phrases in posts when you visit a mall.

Giulia shop with her sister at the mall, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

In giro per negozi con mia sorella.
“Around the shops with my sister.”

1- In giro per negozi

First is an expression meaning “Around the shops.”
In Italian social media, it’s pretty common to omit verbs, as long as the meaning is clear. In this expression, for example, you could say both “walking around the shops,” or just “around the shops.”

2- con mia sorella

Then comes the phrase - “with my sister.”
Remember that Italian possessives must agree in number and gender with the nouns they modify. “Sister” is feminine and singular. Therefore, the possessive will also have to be feminine and singular.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Adoro lo shopping.

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “I love shopping!”
This is a friendly, optimistic opinion to share.

2- Fateci vedere cosa comprate!

Her friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Show us what you bought!”
Alice is curious and wants more information about the shopping spree. A request like this is another excellent way to keep a thread going.

3- Buoni acquisti!

Her neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Happy shopping!”
Laura wants to be part of the conversation and does this by wishing the shoppers well.

4- Siete bellissime, ragazze.

Her boyfriend’s college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “You’re beautiful, Girls.”
Davide is appreciative of the girls’ looks and pays them a compliment with his comment. Wonder if Matteo is a jealous kind of boyfriend…?!

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

negozio: “shop”

shopping: “shopping”

comprare: “to buy”

acquisto: “purchase”

bellissimo: “beautiful”

So, if a friend posted something about going shopping, which phrase would you use?

3. Talking about a Sport Day in Italian

Sports events, whether you’re the spectator or the sports person, offer fantastic opportunity for great social media posts. Learn some handy phrases and vocabulary to start a sport-on-the-beach conversation in Italian.

Matteo plays with his friends at the beach, posts an image of the game, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Solo una partitina a beach volley con gli amici.
“Just a round of beach volleyball with my friends.”

1- Solo una partitina

First is an expression meaning “Just a round.”
This is an informal expression meaning “match, round, game.” The Italian word used for “match” here is a modified noun. The suffix tells you that it’s something small, so you could translate it literally as “little game.” Modified nouns are very common in social media.

2- a beach volley con gli amici

Then comes the phrase - “of beach volleyball with my friends.”
In Italian, some sports keep the English names, but sometimes they are shortened. So it’s “beach volley” instead of “beach volleyball. “Another example is basketball, which in Italian is “basket.”

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Anch’io vorrei essere in spiaggia.

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “I’d like to be at the beach too.”
Use this friendly comment if you wish you were part of the fun.

2- Che bella squadra!

His girlfriends’ neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “What a great team!”
Laura compliments the team.

3- Proprio come ai vecchi tempi.

His supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “Just like (in) the old times.”
Roberto reminisces about days gone by with this nostalgic post.

4- Che fortuna!

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Lucky you!”
Alice is also yearning to be on the beach and part of the fun, rather.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

partitina: “round”

spiaggia: “beach”

squadra: “team”

proprio: “really, actually”

tempo: “time, weather, tense”

fortuna: “luck”

Which phrase would you use if a friend posted something about sports?

But sport is not the only thing you can play! Play some music, and share it on social media.

4. Share a Song on Social Media in Italian

Music is the language of the soul, they say. So, don’t hold back—share what touches your soul with your friends!

Giulia shares a song she just heard at a party, posts an image of the artist, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Vi piace questa canzone?
“Do you like this song?”

1- Vi piace

First is an expression meaning “Do you like.”
This phrase literally means “it’s pleasing to you.” In Italian, the verb meaning “to like” is always in the third person (either singular or plural), as the subject is the object, not the person who likes it. You can use this phrase anytime you want to address a similar question to your friends.

2- questa canzone?

Then comes the phrase - “this song?.”
Notice how the tone of voice raises when you ask a question in Italian. The order of the words doesn’t usually change.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Chi la canta?

Her boyfriend, Matteo, uses an expression meaning - “Who sings it?”
Mateo requests some more info - a good way to keep a conversation going.

2- È molto orecchiabile.

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “It’s very catchy.”
Sara shares an appreciative opinion about the song.

3- Mi piace il ritmo.

Her boyfriend’s college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “I like the rhythm.”
Davide does the same as Sara, which is to share a positive opinion. Both are showing that they actually listened to the song. Showing real interest in friends’ posts on social media is a great way to connect!

4- Mm, non è il mio genere.

Her nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “Mmh, it’s not my style.”
But not everyone will like your taste in music. That’s no problem, and Francesco should be commended for his honesty. His comment is respectful, even if it’s negative, so that’s OK.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

canzone: “song”

cantare: “to sing, chant”

orecchiabile: “catchy”

ritmo: “rhythm”

genere: “style”

piacere: “to like”

Which song would you share? And what would you say to a friend who posted something about sharing music or videos?

Now you know how to start a conversation about a song or a video on social media!

5. Italian Social Media Comments about a Concert

Still on the theme of music—visiting live concerts and shows just have to be shared with your friends. Here are some handy phrases and vocab to wow your followers in Italian!

Matteo goes to a concert, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Ce l’ho fatta! Sono al concerto dei Negramaro!
“I did it! I’m at Negramaro’s concert!”

1- Ce l’ho fatta!

First is an expression meaning: “I did it!”
This is what you say when you have achieved something good.

2- Sono al concerto dei Negramaro.

Then comes the phrase - “I’m at Negramaro’s concert..”
To express possessives in Italian, you have to combine the preposition “of” and the correct definite article. This is an example of the masculine plural article.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Che invidia!

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “I’m so jealous!”
Alice is showing his appreciation for what Matteo is doing and clearly wishes he was joining in the fun.

2- Come hai fatto ad avere i biglietti?

His girlfriend’s nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “How did you manage to get the tickets?”
Francesco is expressing amazement here, which could be construed in more than one way. Is he being negative and sarcastic here because he’s jealous, or positively amazed because the tickets are difficult to come by?

3- Divertiti alla grande!

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Have a blast!”
Davide is happy for his friend and wishes him well.

4- Grande, uno dei miei gruppi preferiti!

His girlfriend’s high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “Cool, one of my favorite groups!”
Sara shares a personal opinion that adds positively to the conversation.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

concerto: “concert”

invidia: “envy”

biglietto: “ticket, note, card, banknote”

divertirsi: “to have fun, enjoy oneself”

gruppo: “group, band”

preferito: “favorite”

If a friend posted something about a concert , which phrase would you use?

6. Talking about an Unfortunate Accident in Italian

Oh dear. You broke something by accident. Use these Italian phrases to start a thread on social media. Or maybe just to let your friends know why you are not contacting them!

Giulia accidentally breaks her mobile phone, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Tragedia! Ho rotto il cellulare!
“Disaster! I broke my (mobile) phone!”

1- Tragedia!

First is an expression meaning “Tragedy!.”
You can use this expression to comment on an unfortunate event. Although it literally means “tragedy,” it’s often used in a humorous or melodramatic way.

2- Ho rotto il cellulare!

Then comes the phrase - “I broke my mobile phone!.”
In this sentence the word for mobile phone literally translated means “cellular.”

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Com’è successo?

Her neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “How did it happen?”
Laura could be expressing warmhearted concern and asks for more details.

2- Sono cose che capitano.

Her highschool friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “These things happen.”
Sara takes a stoic stance on her friend’s misfortune, and plays the event down with this comment.

3- La solita sbadata!

Her nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “Careless as usual!”
Francesco sounds like a stern, pernickety old grandmother! Unless he has a fun relationship with Giulia and they tease each other this way.

4- Se vuoi ti do il mio vecchio cellulare.

Her boyfriend’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “If you want, I’ll give you my old phone.”
What a generous guy! This type of comment is sure to get you many Likes on social media.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

cellulare: “cellphone, mobile phone”

succedere: “to happen”

cosa: “thing”

sbadato: “careless”

solito: “usual, common”

vecchio: “old”

If a friend posted something about having broken something by accident, which phrase would you use?

So, now you know how to describe an accident in Italian. Well done!

7. Chat about Your Boredom on Social Media in Italian

Sometimes, we’re just bored with how life goes. And to alleviate the boredom, we write about it on social media. Add some excitement to your posts by addressing your friends and followers in Italian!

Matteo gets bored at home, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Gente, mi annoio a morte.
“Guys, I’m bored to death.”

1- Gente

First is an expression meaning “Guys.”
On social media, you probably have both female and male friends. Using this expression, you can address both. This colloquial expression literally means “people, folks” but here it means “guys” or “everyone.”

2- mi annoio a morte.

Then comes the phrase - “I’m bored to death..”
A more literal translation would be “I’m getting bored to death.” In Italian, the present is often used instead of the gerund to talk about things happening right now.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- In TV c’è un film fantastico, guardalo!

His girlfriend’s high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “There’s a great movie on TV. Watch it!”
Sara offers advice to alleviate Matteo’s boredom.

2- Perché non esci?

His supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “Why don’t you go out?”
Roberto does the same as Sara, by asking a question.

3- Ti va di fare una passeggiata?

His girlfriend’s neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Wanna go for a walk?”
Laura is being a friend by offering to help alleviate Matteo’s boredom. Wonder what Giulia would say about this!

4- Chattiamo!

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Let’s chat!”
Davide also offers to alleviate Matteo’s boredom.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

annoiarsi: “to get bored, (lit. “to bore oneself” )”

a morte: “to death”

film: “movie”

uscire: “to go out”

passeggiata: “walk, ride”

chattare: “to chat”

If a friend posted something about being bored, which phrase would you use?

Still bored? Share another feeling and see if you can start a conversation!

8. Exhausted? Share It on Social Media in Italian

Sitting in public transport after work, feeling like chatting online? Well, converse in Italian about how you feel, and let your friends join in!

Giulia feels exhausted after a long day at work, posts an image of herself looking tired, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Mamma mia, che stanchezza! Ho lavorato troppo!
“My goodness, so tired! I worked too much!”

1- Mamma mia, che stanchezza!

First is an expression meaning “My goodness, so tired!.”
In this sentence there is a very common expression. Literally, it means “my mom,” but you can use it to express wonder or exasperation.

2- Ho lavorato troppo!

Then comes the phrase - “I’ve worked too much!”
The verb “to work” is conjugated in a past tense that is similar to the English “present perfect,” even though it is used much more extensively in Italian. For example, you can use it to talk about what happened today, yesterday, or even last year.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Vai a dormire!

Her boyfriend’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Go to sleep!”
Alice is probably teasing here, or he’s making a good suggestion - if it’s safe to sleep on public transport!

2- Adesso cerca di riposarti.

Her boyfriend’s supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “Now try to get some rest.”
Roberto is making a suggestion.

3- Poverina!

Her neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Poor girl!”
Laura is showing empathy with Guilia’s predicament.

4- Buonanotte allora.

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “Goodnight then.”
Sara probably implies that Guilia will be going to sleep soon.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

Mamma mia!: “My goodness!”

stanchezza: “tiredness, weariness”

dormire: “to sleep”

riposarsi: “to get rested (lit. “to rest oneself” )”

poverino!: “poor you!”

buonanotte: “goodnight”

If a friend posted something about being exhausted, which phrase would you use?

Now you know how to say you’re exhausted in Italian! Well done.

9. Talking about an Injury in Italian

So life happens, and you manage to hurt yourself during a soccer game. Very Tweet-worthy! Here’s how to do it in Italian.

Matteo suffers a painful injury, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Mi sono fatto male al ginocchio giocando a calcio.
“I hurt my knee playing football.”

1- Mi sono fatto male al ginocchio

First is an expression meaning “I hurt my knee.”
Use this expression to say that you suffered an injury. You can substitute the word for “knee” with another noun to indicate some other part of the body.

2- giocando a calcio

Then comes the phrase - “playing football.”
The gerund is used to explain how it happened, pretty much like in English.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Sei andato dal medico?

His girlfriend’s neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Have you been to the doctor?”
Laura shows concern for Matteo’s wellbeing, and keeps the conversation going with a question.

2- È rotto?

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Is it broken?”
Davide also wants more information - all ways to express concern.

3- Immagino sia molto doloroso.

His supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “I suppose it’s very painful.”
Roberto is making conversation, but this is also a way of showing concern.

4- Fatti forza!

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Hang in there!”
Alice chooses to encourage his friend with this comment.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

ginocchio: “knee”

medico: “doctor”

rotto: “broken”

immaginare: “to imagine”

doloroso: “painful”

Fatti forza!: “Hang in there!”

If a friend posted something about being injured, which phrase would you use?

We love to share our fortunes and misfortunes; somehow that makes us feel connected to others.

10. Starting a Conversation Feeling Disappointed in Italian

Sometimes things don’t go the way we planned. Share your disappointment about this with your friends!

Giulia feels disappointed about today’s weather, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Uffa, piove!
“Ugh, it’s raining!”

1- Uffa

First is an expression meaning “Ugh.”
This is a colloquial expression you can use when something doesn’t go the way you hoped, and you’re disappointed.

2- piove

Then comes the phrase - “it’s raining.”
This is called an impersonal verb, and it doesn’t have a subject. The verb follows the third person singular. Lots of impersonal verbs are used to talk about weather conditions.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Già, che peccato.

Her boyfriend’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Yeah, what a pity.”
Alice seems to feel somewhat sorry for Giulia.

2- Odio questo tempo.

Her boyfriend’s college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “I hate this weather.”
Davide feels very strong about this type of weather!

3- Che sfortuna.

Her neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Too bad.”
Laura is making conversation with this short but slightly sympathetic comment.

4- Speriamo che smetta.

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “Let’s hope it stops.”
Sara shares an optimistic wish.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

piovere: “to rain”

peccato: “too bad”

odiare: “to hate, to loathe, to detest”

tempo: “weather”

sfortuna: “bad luck”

smettere: “to stop”

How would you comment in Italian when a friend is disappointed?

Not all posts need to be about a negative feeling, though!

11. Talking about Your Relationship Status in Italian

Don’t just change your relationship status in Settings, talk about it!

Matteo changes his status to “In a relationship”, posts an image of himself and Giulia, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Vi presento la mia ragazza.
“Introducing, my girlfriend.”

1- Vi presento

First is an expression meaning “Introducing.”
In English, the pronoun “you” can be both singular and plural. In Italian, on the other hand, there are two different pronouns. In this expression, the meaning is “introducing to you (plural).”

2- la mia ragazza

Then comes the phrase - “my girlfriend.”
In English, you can’t use the article before a possessive, but in Italian you usually have to. So here we have article + possessive + noun.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Che bella coppia!

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “What a lovely couple!”
A sweet comment from a good friend, Davide obviously feels good about this match.

2- Era ora…

His girlfriend’s nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “About time…”
Francesco is either perpetually in a sour mood, or he’s using negative teasing to be playful with the couple.

3- Io invece sono ancora single!

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “I’m still single, though!”
Alice is sorry about his own predicament.

4- Siete carini insieme.

His girlfriend’s neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “You’re cute together.”
Laura is also appreciative of the match.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

ragazza: “girlfriend”

coppia: “couple, pair”

ora: “time, hour”

single: “single”

carino: “cute”

insieme: “together”

What would you say in Italian when a friend changes their relationship status?

Being in a good relationship with someone special is good news - don’t be shy to spread it!

12. Post about Getting Married in Italian

Wow, so things got serious, and you’re getting married. Congratulations! Or, your friend is getting married, so talk about this in Italian.

Giulia is getting married to Matteo today, so she eaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Oggi è il gran giorno, mi sposo!
“Today’s the big day. I’m getting married!”

1- Oggi è il gran giorno

First is an expression meaning “Today is the big day.”
This is what you say when it’s an important occasion, such as your wedding day.

2- mi sposo!

Then comes the phrase - “I’m getting married!.”
The verb “to get married” in Italian is reflexive, meaning that the subject carries out the action on itself. The short word in front of the verb is called a reflexive pronoun, and it changes based on the subject.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Congratulazioni!

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “Congratulations!”
Use this expression to show you are feeling optimistic.

2- Evviva gli sposi!

Her boyfriend’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Long live the newlyweds!”
Alice is feeling optimistic and generous about this big event, and wishes the couple a long life together with this comment.

3- Tantissimi auguri per il vostro matrimonio!

Her supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “Best wishes on your wedding day!”
An old-fashioned well wish that is still commonly in use.

4- Sarai una sposa bellissima.

Her neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “You’re going to be a beautiful bride.”
Laura is warmhearted and complimentary towards Giulia with this comment.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

sposarsi: “to get married (lit. to marry oneself)”

Congratulazioni!: “Congratulations!”

evviva!: “Hooray!”

sposo: “groom”

matrimonio: “marriage, holy matrimony, wedding”

sposa: “bride”

How would you respond in Italian to a friend’s post about getting married?

For the next topic, fast forward about a year into the future after the marriage…

13. Announcing Big News in Italian

Wow, huge stuff is happening in your life! Announce it in Italian.

Matteo finds out he and his wife are going to have a baby, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Sto per diventare papà, fatemi gli auguri!
“I’m going to be a dad, wish me luck!”

1- Sto per diventare papà

First is an expression meaning “I’m going to be a dad.”
The verb construction in this phrase is used to express something that is about to happen, usually in the near future.

2- fatemi gli auguri!

Then comes the phrase - “wish me luck!.”
This expression is commonly used before facing an important situation, such as a test or, as in this example, the arrival of a child.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Buona fortuna, preparati alle notti in bianco!

His wife’s nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “Good luck, get ready for all-nighters!”
Use this expression to show you are feeling cynical.

2- È una meravigliosa notizia, auguri.

His supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “That’s wonderful news, best wishes.”
This is a positive reaction to the news, together with a short well-wish.

3- Sono felicissima per voi!

His neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “I’m so happy for you!”
Laura shares her positive feelings about the newcomer with this comment.

4- È un maschietto o una femminuccia?

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Is it a boy or a girl?”
Alice is curious about the baby’s gender and asks a question - a good way to keep the conversation going.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

papà: “dad”

notte in bianco: “sleepless night”

notizia: “a piece of news, news”

felice: “happy, glad, joyful”

maschietto: “baby boy”

femminuccia: “baby girl”

Which phrase would you choose when a friend announces their pregnancy on social media?

So, talking about a pregnancy will get you a lot of traction on social media. But wait till you see the responses to babies!

14. Posting Italian Comments about Your Baby

Your bundle of joy is here, and you cannot keep quiet about it! Share your thoughts in Italian.

Giulia plays with her baby, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Guardate che sorriso. Amore di mamma!
“Look at that smile. Sweetheart!”

1- Guardate che sorriso.

First is an expression meaning “Look at that smile..”
The verb “look” here is in the second person plural of the imperative form. Literally this sentence is “Look what a smile.”

2- Amore di mamma!

Then comes the phrase - “Sweetheart!.”
This expression literally means “mom’s love,” but the meaning is “sweetheart, sweetie.” You can change the word for “mom” with others, such as “dad,” “aunt,” or “grandma,” depending on your relationship with the child.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Ma che carina!

Her boyfriend’s college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “She’s so cute!”
This is a positive observation from Davide about the baby.

2- È tale e quale a te!

Her boyfriend’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “She’s your spitting image!”
Alice sees similarities between Giulia and her baby, and shares that friendly opinion.

3- Dalle un bacetto per me!

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “Give her a peck for me!”
Sara is feeling loving towards Giulia’s baby and obviously wants to kiss it.

4- Davvero adorabile!

Her neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Really adorable!”
This is a warm-hearted, common compliment usually reserved for babies of all kinds!

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

sorriso: “smile”

amore di mamma: “sweetheart”

tale e quale: “spitting image”

bacetto: “peck”

adorabile: “adorable”

davvero: “really, truly, indeed”

If your friend is a new mother or father, which phrase would you use on social media?

Congratulations, you know the basics of chatting about a baby in Italian! But we’re not done with families yet…

15. Italian Comments about a Family Reunion

Family reunions - some you love, some you hate. Share about it on your feed.

Matteo goes to a family gathering, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Pranzo della domenica dai miei.
“Sunday lunch at my folks’ place.”

1- Pranzo della domenica

First is an expression meaning “Sunday lunch.”
Many Italians visit their mothers on Sunday, and they have a big lunch, usually consisting of traditional, homemade dishes, with all the family.

2- dai miei

Then comes the phrase - “at my folks’ place.”
This is a very common expression. It literally means “at mine’s.” Even though “folk’s place” is omitted, Italians understand that you’re referring to your parents.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- La cucina della mamma è sempre la migliore!

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Mom’s cooking is always the best!”
Alice shares a universal truth about most mother’s cooking skills.

2- Wow, quanti siete!

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Wow, so many of you!”
Davide is making a friendly, personal observation to be part of the conversation.

3- Auguro una buona domenica a tutti voi.

His supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “I wish you all a good Sunday.”
Roberto is a bit more old-fashioned in the way he expresses himself, but this well-wish works just fine.

4- È bello stare in famiglia.

His neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “It’s nice to be with family.”
Laura makes a general observation that is positive and warmhearted.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

pranzo: “lunch”

i miei: “my parents”

cucina: “kitchen, cooking, food, cuisine”

domenica: “Sunday”

famiglia: “family”

stare: “to be, to stand, to lie, to be located, to be situated”

Which phrase is your favorite to comment on a friend’s photo about a family reunion?

16. Post about Your Travel Plans in Italian

So, the family is going on holiday. Do you know to post and leave comments in Italian about being at the airport, waiting for a flight?

Giulia waits at the airport for her flight, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

In partenza, ma il mio volo è in ritardo…
“I’m leaving, but my flight is delayed…”

1- In partenza

First is an expression meaning “I’m leaving.”
In English you need a verb, such as “leaving” or “departing,” but in Italian you can use the word for “departure,” which is a noun.

2- ma il mio volo è in ritardo

Then comes the phrase - “but my flight is delayed.”
Delays in public transportation are not uncommon in Italy. The word “flight” can be changed, for example, with “bus” or “train.”

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Buon viaggio!

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “Have a nice trip!”
Using a very common expression, Sara wishes her friend well with the trip.

2- Facci sapere quando arrivi.

Her neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Let us know once you’ve arrived.”
Laura is showing some concern here for Giulia’s travel plans.

3- Tienici aggiornati!

Her boyfriend’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Keep us updated!”
Alice also wants to be reassured that all goes well, therefore he asks for an update.

4- Ritardi…Sai che novità.

Her nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “Delays… That’s nothing new.”
Francesco is being cynical again…

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

volo: “flight”

ritardo: “delay, lateness”

aggiornato: “updated”

viaggio: “trip”

aggiornato: “updated”

novità: “newness, something new”

Choose and memorize your best airport phrase in Italian!

Hopefully the rest of the trip is better!

17. Posting about an Interesting Find in Italian

So maybe you’re strolling around at a local market during the holidays, and find something interesting. Here are some handy Italian phrases!

Matteo finds an unusual item at a local market, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Guardate qua. Secondo voi cos’è?
“Look at this. What do you think it is?”

1- Guardate qua.

First is an expression meaning “Look at this..”
This literally means “look here.” It’s a more generic expression than “look at this,” since you don’t have to specify the number or gender of the thing you’re talking about.

2- Secondo voi cos’è?

Then comes the phrase - “What do you think it is?.”
Use this phrase to ask for somebody’s opinion. In this example the person is “you” plural, but you can change that to “you” singular, or even “they.”

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Dove l’hai trovato?

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Where did you find it?”
Davide wants more information, so he asks this question to keep Matteo engaged.

2- È un reperto alieno, ovviamente!

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “It’s an alien artifact, of course!”
Alice is joking around a bit with his friend.

3- Spero solo che non sia il mio regalo di compleanno.

His wife’s nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “I just hope it’s not my birthday gift.”
As said - either Francesco is as positive and pleasant as a wet rag, or this is his way of bantering with family.

4- Potrebbe trattarsi di un oggetto antico.

His supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “It might be an antique.”
Roberto is the only one who ventures a serious opinion about the nature of the item.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

guardare: “to look, to watch”

trovare: “to find”

reperto: “find, archeological find”

alieno: “alien”

regalo: “present, gift”

oggetto antico: “antique”

Which phrase would you use to comment on a friend’s interesting find?

Perhaps you will even learn the identity of your find! Or perhaps you’re on holiday, and visiting interesting places…

18. Post about a Sightseeing Trip in Italian

Let your friends know what you’re up to in Italian, especially when visiting a remarkable place! Don’t forget the photo.

Giulia visits a famous landmark, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Saluti da questa stupenda città d’arte!
“Greetings from this wonderful city of art!”

1- Saluti da

First is an expression meaning “Greetings from.”
Italians often use this expression on postcards and social media to say where they are.

2- questa stupenda città d’arte!

Then comes the phrase - “this wonderful city of art!.”
The expression “city of art” refers to cities with lots of famous monuments and museums, such as Rome, Venice, Florence, and many others. Italians love to visit such cities on long weekends or in the summer.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Mandami una cartolina!

Her husband’s college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Send me a postcard!”
Davide seems happy for Giulia and wants to have a momento too.

2- La prossima volta ci andiamo insieme!

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “Next time, let’s go there together!”
Sara expresses a wish to visit this place with her friend.

3- Troppi turisti per i miei gusti.

Her nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “Too many tourists for my liking.”
Yea, trust Francesco to criticize the place.

4- Aspettiamo tante foto!

Her husband’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “We expect lots of photos!”
Alice wants to also experience this via photos.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

città d’arte: “city of art”

mandare: “to send”

cartolina: “postcard”

insieme: “together”

turista: “tourist”

foto: “photo, picture”

Which phrase would you prefer when a friend posts about a famous landmark?

Share your special places with the world. Or simply post about your relaxing experiences.

19. Post about Relaxing Somewhere in Italian

So you’re doing nothing yet you enjoy that too? Tell your social media friends about it in Italian!

Matteo relaxes at a beautiful place, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Sole, mare e un po’ di meritato relax.
“Sun, sea, and some well-deserved relaxation.”

1- Sole, mare

First is an expression meaning “Sun, sea.”
Thanks to the hot summers and amazing beaches, the seaside is the most popular destination among Italian people.

2- e un po’ di meritato relax.

Then comes the phrase - “and some well-deserved relaxation..”
This phrase is used to express that you have been working hard and now you can spend some time just relaxing.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Insomma, sei in paradiso!

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “In short, you’re in heaven!”
Davide clearly thinks Matteo is in an enviable place.

2- Metti la crema solare!

Their neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Put on your sunscreen!”
Laura is acting a bit like a mother.

3- Scottature, meduse… Non ti invidio.

His wife’s nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “Sunburns, jellyfish… I don’t envy you.”
Francesco needs to be negative and different from all the others, it seems!

4- Facciamo cambio?

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Wanna swap places?”
Alice is clearly wishing he was sharing in the fun.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

sole: “sun”

mare: “sea”

relax: “relaxation”

paradiso: “paradise”

crema solare: “sunblock, sun cream”

scottatura: “sunburn”

medusa: “jellyfish”

invidiare: “to envy”

Which phrase would you use to comment on a friend’s feed?

The break was great, but now it’s time to return home.

20. What to Say in Italian When You’re Home Again

And you’re back! What will you share with friends and followers?

Giulia returns home after a vacation, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Eccomi qui, sono a casa!
“Here I am, I’m home!”

1- Eccomi qui

First is an expression meaning “Here I am.”
Say this whenever you arrive at a place where someone is waiting for you. For example, on a date, or on social media when you’ve been away for a while.

2- sono a casa!

Then comes the phrase - “I’m home!.”
In Italian, you always have to use a preposition before “home”.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Bentornata!

Their neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Welcome back!”
A commonly-used, warmhearted comment.

2- Ci sei mancata!

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “We missed you!”
This is a friendly sentiment to share, showing friends that they are valuable.

3- Usciamo per un caffè così mi racconti tutto!

Her husband’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Let’s go out for a coffee so you can tell me everything!”
Alice would love to hear firsthand from the family how their holiday went.

4- Dov’è il mio souvenir?

Her husband’s college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Where’s my souvenir?”
Davide is making a fun, playful comment, probably hoping they did get him a souvenir!

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

casa: “home, house, one’s place”

bentornato: “welcome back”

mancare: “to be lacking, missing”

caffè: “coffee, espresso”

uscire: “to go out”

raccontare: “to tell, recount”

tutto: “everything, all”

souvenir: “souvenir”

How would you welcome a friend back from a trip?

What do you post on social media during a public commemoration day such as the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Italy?

21. It’s Time to Celebrate in Italian

It’s an historic day and you wish to post something about it on social media. What would you say?

Matteo celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, posts an image of this event, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

A Ferragosto, niente di meglio di una grigliata in montagna!
“On August 15th, (there’s) nothing better than a barbecue in the mountains!”

1- A Ferragosto

First is an expression meaning “On August 15th.”
“Ferragosto” is an Italian holiday on the 15th of August celebrating the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Most businesses are closed on this day.

2- niente di meglio di una grigliata in montagna!

Then comes the phrase - “nothing better than a barbecue in the mountains!.”
Mid-August is when most people are on summer vacation. On this day, it’s traditional to go on a trip to the beach or to the mountains, and enjoy some food with family and friends.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Buon Ferragosto!

His supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “Happy 15th of August!”
Roberto uses a common expression suitable for this day.

2- Come fa a piacerti la montagna? Meglio il mare!

His wife’s nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “How can you like the mountains? The sea is better!”
Francesco is being his negative, critical self again, it seems!

3- Salsicce! Gnam!

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Sausages! Yum!”
Alice is commenting on the food, and clearly likes what he sees.

4- Puoi dirlo forte!

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “That’s right!”
Davide simply agrees with Matteo here, a suitable comment for this thread.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

grigliata: “barbeque”

montagna: “mountain”

ferragosto: “August 15th”

salsiccia: “sausage”

forte: “strong, powerful, loud, tough, heavy, severe”

gnam: “yum”

If a friend posted something about a holiday, which phrase would you use?

Assumption of the Virgin Mary and other public commemoration days are not the only special ones to remember!

22. Posting about a Birthday on Social Media in Italian

Your friend or you are celebrating your birthday in an unexpected way. Be sure to share this on social media!

Giulia goes to her birthday party, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Grazie a tutti per la meravigliosa festa!
“Thank you all for the wonderful party!”

1- Grazie a tutti

First is an expression meaning “Thank you all.”
When you want to express your gratitude to a group of people for something, use this expression.

2- per la meravigliosa festa!

Then comes the phrase - “for the wonderful party!.”
The phrase that follows “for” is the thing you’re grateful for.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Buon compleanno!

Her husband’s college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Happy birthday!”
THe universal wish on a person’s birthday is suitable here.

2- Ce l’hai fatta a spegnere tutte le candeline?

Her husband’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Did you manage to blow out all the candles?”
Alice is asking a playful question to remain part of the conversation.

3- Giornata super!

Her high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “Fabulous day!”
This could be a wish or a comment on Giulia’s post.

4- La torta era deliziosa.

Her neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “The cake was delicious.”
Laura was also there, obviously, and confirms Giulia’s post.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

festa: “feast, holiday, party”

compleanno: “birthday”

candelina: “candle”

super: “fabulous”

torta: “cake, tart, pie”

delizioso: “delightful, delicious”

If a friend posted something about birthday greetings, which phrase would you use?

23. Talking about New Year on Social Media in Italian

Impress your friend with your Italian New Year’s wishes this year. Learn the phrases easily!

Matteo celebrates the New Year, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Buon anno a tutti!
“Happy New Year, everyone!”

1- Buon anno

First is an expression meaning “Happy New Year.”
This is the most common way to wish a happy New Year. In Italy, people say “happy New Year” even later on in January, when they meet someone again for the first time that year.

2- a tutti

Then comes the phrase - “everyone!.”
On social media, use this expression to address wishes, such as “happy new year” or “merry christmas,” to everyone.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Felice anno nuovo!

His neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Happy New Year!”
This is the universal, commonly-used wish for New Year almost everywhere in the world. Suitable for this occasion too.

2- Che il nuovo anno sia migliore di quello vecchio!

His wife’s high school friend, Sara, uses an expression meaning - “May the new year be better than the last!”
This is a sweet, optimistic wish that can be used anywhere with anyone on New Year.

3- Cin cin!

His friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Cheers!”
Alice is short and sweet, saying thank you for Matteo’s wish.

4- Hai già fatto i buoni propositi?

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “Have you already made any good resolutions?”
Davide asks a question, perhaps to keep the conversation going.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

anno: “year”

felice: “happy, glad, joyful”

migliore: “better”

vecchio: “old”

cin cin: “cheers”

proposito: “resolution”

Which is your favorite phrase to post on social media during New Year?

But before New Year’s Day comes another important day…

24. What to Post on Christmas Day in Italian

What will you say in Italian about Christmas?

Giulia celebrates Christmas with her family, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Giulia’s post.

Buon Natale a tutti, vi auguro di festeggiare con i vostri cari!
“Merry Christmas, everyone, may you celebrate with your loved ones!”

1- Buon Natale a tutti

First is an expression meaning “Merry Christmas, everyone.”
This is the traditional phrase to wish everyone a merry Christmas, both in person and on social media.

2- vi auguro di festeggiare con i vostri cari!

Then comes the phrase - “may you celebrate with your loved ones!.”
In Italy, Christmas is the most important family holiday of the year. Christmas Eve, however, is a working day for many people. But businesses usually close early to allow people to enjoy Christmas Eve supper with their families, and they remain closed until the 26th, which is also a holiday.

COMMENTS

In response, Giulia’s friends leave some comments.

1- Non vedo l’ora di aprire i regali!

Her husband’s college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “I can’t wait to open my presents!”
Frivolous Davide allows his inner child to be excited about the prospect of Christmas gifts.

2- Auguro un sereno Natale a te e alla tua famiglia.

Her supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “I wish a merry Christmas to you and your family.”
A traditional Christmas wish, suitable for this time of year.

3- Andateci piano col panettone!

Her husband’s friend, Alice, uses an expression meaning - “Take it easy on the panettone!”
Alice gives advice light-heartedly. Panettone is a traditional sweet bread loaf commonly enjoyed on this day in Italy.

4- Odio le feste, svegliatemi quando sono finite…

Her nephew, Francesco, uses an expression meaning - “I hate the holidays, wake me up when it’s all over…”
Poor, pessimistic Francesco seems to be having a difficult time.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

Natale: “Christmas”

festeggiare: “to celebrate”

caro: “loved one”

panettone: “panettone (sweet bread)”

svegliare: “to wake up”

If a friend posted something about Christmas greetings, which phrase would you use?

So, the festive season is over! Yet, there will always be other days, besides a birthday, to wish someone well.

25. Post about Your Anniversary in Italian

Some things deserve to be celebrated, like wedding anniversaries. Learn which Italian phrases are meaningful and best suited for this purpose!

Matteo celebrates his wedding anniversary with his wife, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Matteo’s post.

Un altro anno insieme. Grazie amore!
“Another year together. Thank you, my love!”

1- Un altro anno insieme.

First is an expression meaning “Another year together..”
In Italy, couples usually do something special for their anniversary. For example, they go out to dinner or on a romantic date, and they exchange presents.

2- Grazie amore!

Then comes the phrase - “Thank you, my love!.”
The Italian word for “love” is masculine, but you can use it to refer to your partner, as well.

COMMENTS

In response, Matteo’s friends leave some comments.

1- Buon anniversario, ti amo!

His wife, Giulia, uses an expression meaning - “Happy anniversary, I love you!”
The couple clearly likes to show their affection online. This is a traditional, sweet wish suitable for the occasion.

2- Auguri ragazzi, vi auguro molti altri anni felici.

His neighbor, Laura, uses an expression meaning - “Congratulations guys, I wish you many other years of happiness.”
Laura is being warmhearted and positive with this well-wish for the couple.

3- Un brindisi per voi!

His college friend, Davide, uses an expression meaning - “A toast to you!”
Davide also makes a short but meaningful and positive comment, toasting the couple’s marriage. A toast traditionally both celebrates an occasion, and signifies good wishes.

4- Vi auguro di essere sempre felici come il primo giorno.

His supervisor, Roberto, uses an expression meaning - “May you always be as happy as the first day.”
What a sweet, positive wish for any marriage!

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

amore: “love”

anniversario: “anniversary”

augurare: “to wish, bid, hope”

amare: “to love”

brindisi: “toast”

giorno: “day”

If a friend posted something about Anniversary greetings, which phrase would you use?

Conclusion

Learning to speak a new language will always be easier once you know key phrases that everybody uses. These would include commonly used expressions for congratulations and best wishes, etc.

Master these in fun ways with Learn Italian! We offer a variety of tools to individualize your learning experience, including using cell phone apps, audiobooks, iBooks and many more. Never wonder again what to say on social media!

Each year, Italy observes its National Unity and Armed Forces Day in commemoration of its victory in WWI while part of the Allies. While this is no longer considered a public holiday, Italy’s National Unity Day still holds some relevance to the Italian people, who continue to put on celebrations and special events.

In this article, you’ll learn the most pertinent facts about National Unity Day and Armed Forces Day in Italy.

At ItalianPod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your learning journey both fun and informative!

1. What is National Unity Day in Italy?

As mentioned earlier, National Unity Day and Armed Forces Day in Italy commemorates the country’s WWI victory. Following this victory, Italy also conquered Trento and Trieste which began the process of its unification.

Beginning in the 1970s, Italian Armed Forces and Unity Day started to fall off the radar and the Italian people no longer considered this an important day. During the 1960s, many Italians actually protested this holiday in order to draw attention to the lack of conscientious objection rights which would allow them to refuse military service.

In spite of this holiday’s declining status and the growing stigma around it, Italians did once again start to accept it in the 2000s. This was largely due to the influence of then-President Carolo Ciampi.

2. When is it?

Each year, Italians commemorate their National Unity Day and Armed Forces Day on November 4.

3.How is it Celebrated?

On National Unity Day, Italy begins celebrations by hoisting its national flag. Italian mayors and those serving in the military are present during this ceremony, and people are able to watch weaponry and martial arts demonstrations.

Further celebrations include solemn visits to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the wreath-laying ceremony, and Vittorio Veneto, both of which hold significant meaning to the Italian people. The Vittorio Veneto is where Italy and Austria-Hungary fought their final battle of WWI. Another popular destination for National Unity Day is the Redipuglia Memorial Monument, a place devoted to honoring the many Italians who lost their lives there.

4. The Italian Front

In 1915, Italy decided to leave its Triple Alliance with the countries of Germany and Austria-Hungary, and instead joined the other side. After declaring war on Austria-Hungary, Italy officially became involved in WWI.

The two countries fought many battles up until 1918, which were known as the Italian Front. The same year, the Armistice of Villa Gusti was signed at the prompting of Austria-Hungary, and Italians celebrate this each year.

5. Essential National Unity and Armed Forces Day Vocabulary

Here’s the essential vocabulary you should know for National Unity and Armed Forces Day in Italy!

• Anniversario
  “Anniversary”
• Prima Guerra Mondiale
  “World War I”
• Giorno dell’Unità Nazionale
  “National Unity Day”
• Giornata delle Forze Armate
  “Armed Forces Day”
• Anniversario della fine della prima guerra mondiale
  “Anniversary of the end of World War I”
• Milite Ignoto
  “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”
• Celebrazione all’Altare della Patria
  “Celebration at the Altar of the Fatherland”
• Vittoriano di Roma
  “Vittoriano in Rome”
• Visita al Sacrario di Redipuglia
  “Visit to the Redipuglia Memorial Monument”
• Visita a Vittorio Veneto
  “Visit to Vittorio Veneto”
• Riconoscenza
  “Gratitude”
• Caduti militari italiani
  “Fallen Italian soldiers”

To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, and to see each one accompanied by a relevant image, be sure to check out our Italian National Unity Day and Armed Forces Day vocabulary list!

Parting Words

We hope you enjoyed learning about National Unity Day and Armed Forces Day in Italy with us!

Does your country have a similar holiday? If so, how do you celebrate it? Let us know in the comments; we always love to hear from you!

Learning about a country’s culture may be the most exciting and enriching aspects of trying to master a language. If you want to continue delving into Italian culture, you may be interested in the following pages:

• Italian Hand Gestures: Talk with Hands Like a Real Italian
• Tourist Attractions in Italy
• Top 30 Travel Phrases You Should Know
• Top 10 Italian TV Shows to Boost Your Italian
• The Complete Guide to Italian Internet Slang

We know that learning Italian isn’t an easy feat. But at ItalianPod101.com, we believe that you really can master the language and come to understand Italian culture. We’ll be here with you every step of the way with constant guidance and encouragement!

Happy learning!

Learning how to say “I’m sorry” in a foreign language is a crucial step in assimilating not only its grammar and vocabulary, but also its culture. This is why we at ItalianPod101 have decided to write an extensive guide about how to say sorry in Italian.

Reading this article, you’ll discover how to say “I’m sorry” in Italian with your words and with your body language. Moreover, you’ll find out how to say sorry in Italian in different circumstances and to different people.

Everyone makes mistakes from time to time. Don’t let them devastate your relationships with your Italian friends, relatives, colleagues, or other special people in your life. Learn how to say “I apologize” in Italian in the most effective way and take care of your relationships. Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet - How to Improve Your Italian Skills! (Logged-In Member Only)

1. “Sorry”: A Complicated Word
2. The Meaning of “I’m Sorry” in Italian
3. How to Say Sorry in Italian
4. How to Say “Excuse Me” and “Pardon” in the Street

1. “Sorry”: A Complicated Word

As explained by the Harvard Business Review, “I’m sorry” is an expression that’s very complicated to translate. This is because it involves the cultural meaning of apology, culpability, and mistake, which greatly varies from culture to culture.

For example, in the Western world in general, an apology implies an admission of culpability. What “I’m sorry” really means is “I’ve made a mistake, therefore I’m sorry.” On the other hand, in Japan an apology doesn’t mean that one admits he’s in the wrong, and it’s instead a way to repair a problem within a relationship. So it’s more like “I’m sorry that there’s this problem between us. Please, let’s fix it.”

It’s such a complicated matter, that the Journal of Applied Social Psychology has defined “sorry” as the hardest word. In order to clarify this extremely intricate subject, we could use the classifications of dignity, face, and honor cultures as defined by social studies:

• Dignity cultures are individualistic, and the self-worth of every individual is based on his/her achievements, not on the others’ opinion. The U.S. is considered a dignity culture.
• Face cultures are more based on hierarchy, and the value of individuals is assessed on their ability to do what’s expected of them according to their social position. China and Japan are considered face cultures.
• Honor cultures are strongly based on reputation and each one’s ability to defend it from attacks, for example in the Middle East.

The meaning and effectiveness of an apology varies amongst the different cultures. For example, they tend to be less effective in honor cultures and more effective in dignity cultures.

Then, what about Italy? Like many others in the world, the Italian culture is a mix. We can define it as a mix of dignity and honor cultures. An individualistic society with strong familial ties, where honor still has some relevance.

2. The Meaning of “I’m Sorry” in Italian

As in other Western cultures, “I am sorry” in Italian involves an admission of culpability. You’re supposed to apologize in mainly three circumstances:

• When you’ve done something wrong, even if you haven’t done it on purpose.
• When you’re disturbing someone or something.
• When you’re lacking something.

Let’s see this in more in detail.

1- A Few Examples of Things that are Considered Wrong in Italy

You’re supposed to say sorry in Italian when you’ve done something that Italians consider wrong. The concept of wrong and right is another element that greatly varies from culture to culture, so let us give you some examples of what’s wrong according to Italians:

• When you forget an appointment or a birthday.
• When you offend someone, even if it’s not on purpose.
• When you make a mistake while working.
• When you’re late—but mind that many Italians have a very flexible idea of punctuality, and if they arrive fifteen minutes late, they might not see the need to apologize.
• When you can’t quite finish your second dish of pasta.

Remember that you shouldn’t apologize if you don’t think you’re in the wrong. Apologizing just to make things okay, without being ready to admit your fault, would look false and deceiving.

2- When You Should Apologize for Disturbing

You should apologize:

• When you’re interrupting someone speaking.
• When you need someone to move in order to pass through.
• When you enter a room during a meeting or a private discussion.
• When you need to have someone’s attention while he’s/she’s doing something (for example, when in a restaurant you need to ask the waiter something while he’s/she’s carrying another table’s dishes).

3- When You Should Apologize for Lacking Something

Here are a few examples of this particular situation. You are supposed to apologize:

• When you invite someone to your home and you’re out of coffee, wine, or anything else a guest wants.
• When someone talks to you in a language you don’t speak.
• When you don’t know something you should know.

3. How to Say Sorry in Italian

Now that you know the cultural meaning and circumstances of apologizing in Italy, let’s look at how to say “I’m sorry,” in Italian with these Italian sorry phrases.

1- A Dictionary to Say Sorry in Italian

So, how do you say sorry in Italian? It depends on the situation, but by far the most common Italian sorry phrases are:

• Scusa: This word basically means “I’m sorry,” but also “I apologize,” “excuse me,” and “pardon.” It should be used with one singular person you’re addressing with the second singular person tu and not the formal third singular person lei (this is because you’ll be talking to a friend, a relative, or a partner, and not someone superior to you).

Examples of use:
- Sarò venti minuti in ritardo, scusa.
- Scusa per la fretta, ma ho poco tempo.

Translation:
- “I’ll be twenty minutes late, sorry.”
- “I’m sorry for the rush, but I have little time.”

• Scusate: This is the same as the above word, but should be used when apologizing to more than one person.

Example of use:
- Scusate, ho dimenticato che dovevamo vederci tutti in pizzeria stasera.

Translation:
- “Sorry, I forgot that we were all supposed to meet at the pizzeria tonight.”

• Mi scusi: Wondering how to say “sorry to bother you” in Italian to a superior? Mi scusi is a good option. This is the same thing as the above phrase, but it’s used when addressing someone with the formal third singular person lei, such as an older person you don’t know very well, a client, or a professor.

Examples of use:
- Mi scusi, vorrei avere delle informazioni sui vostri corsi di italiano.
- Mi scusi, non parlo italiano.

Translation:
- “Excuse me, I’d like to have more information about your Italian courses.”
- “Sorry, I don’t speak Italian.”

• Scusami / mi scuso: This is like scusa, but with a more emphatic nuance.

Examples of use:
- Scusami, mi sono davvero comportato male ieri sera.
- Sono stato molto scortese, mi scuso.

Translation:
- “I’m sorry, I behaved very badly last night.”
- “I’ve been very rude, I’m sorry.”

• Scusatemi: This is like scusami, but is used when addressing more than one person.

Example of use:
- A causa del mio errore abbiamo perso un cliente, scusatemi.

Translation:
- “Because of my mistake we lost a client, I’m sorry.”

• Mi dispiace: This is another expression that means “I’m sorry,” but is used in more serious circumstances (or when used after it, there’s a subordinate clause).

Examples of use:
- Non sapevo della tua perdita, mi dispiace.
- Mi dispiace che tu non possa venire a Roma con noi.

Translation:
- “I didn’t know about your loss, I’m sorry.”
- “I’m sorry that you won’t be able to come to Rome with us.”

• Perdonami: This is a word meaning “forgive me,” used when talking to one singular person that you’re addressing with the second singular person tu.

Example of use:
- Perdonami per averti fatto soffrire.

Translation:
- “Forgive me for making you suffer.”

• Perdonatemi: This is the same as the above word, but should be used with more than one person.

Example of use:
- Perdonatemi per tutti i problemi che ho causato con la mia disattenzione.

Translation:
- “Forgive me for all the problems I’ve caused with my inattention.”

• Ti prego di scusarmi / Ti prego di perdonarmi: These phrases mean “Please, forgive me,” and is a stronger request for forgiveness.

Examples of use:
- Sono stato davvero sciocco a dire quelle cose, ti prego di scusarmi.
- Ti prego di perdonarmi per la mia arroganza.

Translation:
- “I was really silly to say those things, please, forgive me.”
- “Please, forgive me for my arrogance.”

• La prego di scusarmi / La prego di perdonarmi: This is the same as the above phrases, when talking to someone with lei.

Example of use:
- La prego di scusarmi per l’inefficienza.

Translation:
- “Please, forgive me for the inefficiency.”

• Vi prego di scusarmi / Vi prego di perdonarmi: This is the same thing again, when talking to more than one person. If you’re wondering how to say “I’m really sorry,” in Italian (or “I’m very sorry,” in Italian), this is a good option.

Example of use:
- Ho commesso un grave errore, vi prego di perdonarmi.

Translation:
- “I’ve made a big mistake, please, forgive me.”

2- How to Say Sorry in Italian to a Friend, Relative, or Someone Special to You

In order to say sorry in Italian to a friend, a relative, or a special person in your life, you’ll use the more familiar expressions, as when talking to someone with the tu person.

Examples:

1. Scusami per aver perso la tua festa ieri sera.
2. Ti chiedo scusa per non essere stato presente quando avevi bisogno di me.
3. Non sono stato un buon amico, perdonami.
4. Scusa zia, le tue tagliatelle sono buonissime, ma sono pienissimo!
5. Scusate, ho dimenticato di portare il vino.

Translation:

1. “I’m sorry for missing your party last night.”
2. “I’m sorry for not being there for you when you needed me.”
3. “I wasn’t a good friend, forgive me.”
4. “I’m sorry, aunt, your tagliatelle are excellent, but I’m super full!”
5. “Sorry, I forgot to bring the wine.”

3- How to Say Sorry in Italian in Formal Situations

In a formal situation—like when talking to a client, a superior, a business contact, or simply an older person you don’t know well—you have to use the lei person.

Examples:

1. Mi scusi, non ho capito cosa ha detto.
2. La prego di perdonarci per il disguido.
3. Mi perdoni per essere stato indelicato.

Translation:

1. “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you said.”
2. “Please, forgive us for the misunderstanding.”
3. “Please, forgive me for being indiscreet.”

4- How to Say “Excuse Me” and “Pardon” in the Street

After talking about Italian for “sorry,” what about saying “excuse me” or “pardon” in a crowd, on a bus, or wherever you need to pass? It’s very easy: you just say scusa to boys and girls, and mi scusi to older persons.

Examples:

1. Scusi, posso passare?
2. Scusa, dovrei scendere alla prossima fermata.

Translation:

1. “Excuse me, could I pass?”
2. “Pardon, I should get off at the next stop.”

5- How to Say Sorry in Italian with Your Body Language

In many cultures, for example in Japan, body language is an essential part of an apology. When you want to say that you’re so sorry in Italian, the expression on your face is the most important body language element. Italians are more expressive than other peoples, and an apology always comes—pardon the pun—with a “sorry” face.

Sometimes an apology can come with gestures; a hand to the heart is the most common, as a sign of pain and regret.

4. Keep on Learning the Italian Culture and Language with ItalianPod101!

We hope you learned some useful Italian sorry phrases in this article, and that you’ll start practicing them!

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