Italian phrases

Basic Italian phrases

with pronunciations

Your next trip to Italy will be more enjoyable by learning these basic Italian phrases.

Hi / bye (casual)
Ciao chow

Good day (formal)
Buon giorno bwon ZHOR-no

Good evening (formal)
Buona sera BWOH-nah SEH-rah

Good night (formal)
Buona notte BWOH-nah NOHT-teh

Goodbye
Arrivederci ah-ree-vuh-DEHR-chee

Please
Per favore pehr fah-VOH-reh

Thank you
Grazie GRAHT-zee

You're Welcome
Prego PREH-goh

Excuse me / sorry
Scusi SKOO-zee

Excuse me (to pass)
Permesso per-MESS-soh

Yes
Si see

No
No noh

The check (in restaurant)
Il conto Eel KOHN toh

How much is it?
Quanto? KWAHN-toh

Where?
Dove DOH-veh

What is your name? (casual)
Come ti chiami? KOH-meh tee kee-AH-mee

My name is ...
Mi chiamo ... mee kee-AH-mo

Do you speak English?
Parla inglese? PAHR-lah een-GLEH-zeh

Helpful Italian
language pointers

Stress

When in doubt, put the stress on the second to last syllable of a word. You will usually be right.

Consonants

In nearly all cases, you pronounce each consonant distinctly. Don't blend it with the following consonant.

Keep it handy

Print this phrase list and take it with you on your trip.