10 Italian Phrases to Learn Before Visiting Italy as an American

visit italy It’s on many Americans’ bucket lists, and for good reason.Not only is it one of the most scenic countries in the world, but it also has rich history Spanning thousands of years, incredible culinary traditions, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet.

If you’re planning to visit Italy as an American, there are some important Italian phrases to learn that differ from the standard travel phrases you’ll find in other articles for global travelers. Learning this phrase will go a long way toward showing Italians you meet that you respect their language and culture!

1. I am American. / I am American.

The first phrase worth learning is also one of the most obvious.

I am American method”I am American” and -o The ending means it should be used by those who identify as masculine.The female equivalent is I am American and -One end.

In English, another way to describe Americanness is by using the phrase “I am/from America”.

In this case the translation would be i’m from america (“I am from the United States”) or i’m from america (“I’m from America”). However, keep in mind that Italians prefer to simply state their nationality.If you come across this wording, it’s usually when answering a question where is he from? (“where are you from?”)

2. I am from New York.

To specify exactly which city you live in, you can use the phrase I am coming from [city name]. of is a preposition meaning “of”, so it literally means “I am [city name]”.

But what if you want to cite your state? Well, this is where things get a little complicated.

all states require Definite article In Italian, so the preposition (in this case from = “of”) must match the gender of the definite article. These combined prepositions and definite articles are called prepositional articles.

For example, California is a feminine noun preceded by a definite article Thisso in our phrase, from become of (from + This).

Here is a complete list of all prepositional articles from:

the + = of
the + = of
the + Luo = of
at + i = of
the + music = of
the + = of
di + l’ = Dell’

3. Can you speak English?

If your Italian knowledge is limited to words goodbye, pizza and spaghettias an American, one of the first questions you will ask is Can you speak English? this is a formal way of asking Can you speak English?

We recommend answering this question using the official version rather than the informal version, because more often than not, you will be dealing with complete strangers. It is still best to err on the side of caution and use formal language with people you don’t know well.

Another way of asking this question is Does someone here speak English? meaning is Does someone here speak English? This is useful if you’re in a room full of people and want to ask everyone at the same time.

4. Sorry, I don’t speak Italian (very well).

This phrase complements the previous one. Instead of asking someone if they speak English, simply tell them that you don’t speak Italian.

However, if you happen to speak some Italian, you can always include these words very good (very good) at the end of the phrase.

5. “Please” and “Thank you”

Learning your “please and thank you” before visiting another country will always be appreciated by the locals, and Italy is no exception. If you can pronounce it correctly, even better!

Americans tend to pronounce Thank you as Thank you no final word electronicand Please seems to be spanish Please. So before you go, take the time to learn the correct pronunciation and you are sure to impress your new Italian friends.

6. Where is the US Embassy?

Bad things can and do happen when you travel. I should have known – my passport was stolen just days after my 2 year stay in Turin! When things get worse, you may need to visit your nearest US embassy, ​​in which case you can ask:

7. I want an American.

The first time my dad came to visit me in Italy, I remember he walked into an Italian bar and order with confidence coffee. He intended to drink a large cup of coffee, which is the standard in the US and most other English-speaking countries, but he ended up with a small cup of coffee Strong coffee. I will never forget the look on his face!

If you want a large cup of coffee in Italy, you need to order food a cup of americano (or just an American) – otherwise coffee maker will automatically assume you want a Strong coffee. One American style basically a Strong coffee add water.

Also, don’t mistakenly require latté – all you will get is a glass of milk!

8. How much is USD/mile/pound?

In Italy, they use euros instead of dollars, and metric instead of imperial, so it’s worth knowing how to ask for conversions:

• how many dollars is that = How much is the dollar?
• How far is it in miles? = How far is it in miles?
• How many pounds is that? = How many pounds does he weigh?

We can simplify all these problems using the verb become (become):

Another option for this problem is:

9. I want to exchange dollars for euros.

Despite the recent pandemic, many places in Italy still prefer cash to credit cards. In this case, you’ll probably want to have at least a few euros on hand for emergencies. You will need to convert them if you have not converted your dollars beforehand. In Italian it is:

10. It is 2 o’clock in the afternoon.

In the US and other English-speaking countries, we tend to speak in 12-hour time, while in Italy almost everyone speaks in 24-hour time.

This means, for example, that 2pm is No. 14 (fourteen) and 11pm would be twenty three (twenty three).

When they use the 12-hour clock, they always say 2 p.m. (2pm) or 11 p.m. (11 p.m.).

Reward: good morning/good evening

Let’s end with one of the most important things you can learn as an American visiting Italy, and that is the two formal greetings Good morning (goodbye) and good evening (good evening).

When you first meet someone you don’t know, it’s considered polite to use these greetings, even if their English translations seem overly formal. Good morning Used until around 5-6pm, at which point they switch to good evening.

good evening

good evening