Common Italian Travel Phrases You Need to Learn [Language Tips]

Buon giorno amici! Or is it buona notte for you?

Either way, this article was designed to be your best friend (or language travel guide) if you happen to be planning your next trip to Italy soon. We certainly hope that's the case.

Regardless of whether or not it's your first time in the land of pizza, pasta, and gelato, we want to make sure you have all the Italian vocabulary you need to enjoy the best that Italy has to offer.

Don't worry though, if you're learning Italian but not leaving the country just yet, this post will be incredibly useful for you too.

And if you are just starting on your Italian learning journey, check out our Best Way to Learn Italian On Your Own guide. There you will find all the best tips to get you on the right track.

Indeed, all Italian language learners will benefit from this guide, and these basic Italian phrases will prove useful in a myriad of situations.

Va bene... Let's jump in.

100 Italian Phrases for Travel

These Italian travel phrases will help you to get started on your trip.

Basic Italian phrases

To begin with, let's learn the most basic Italian words.

You'll find the word or phrase in Italian, followed by its English translation.

Si – Yes
No – No
Per favore – Please
Grazie – Thank you
Grazie mille – Thank you very much
Prego – You’re welcome
Salute! – Cheers!
Mi scusi – Excuse me (for attention) or I'm sorry
Permesso – Excuse me (to pass by)
Parli inglese? – Do you speak English?
Non capisco – I don’t understand
Mi dispiace – I’m sorry
Non parlo Italiano – I don't speak Italian
Non lo sò – I don't know

Italian greetings

Ciao – Hello/goodbye (informal)
Salve – Hello (formal, can be used at any time of day)
Arrivederci – Good night (formal)
Buon giorno – Good morning
Buon pomeriggio – Good afternoon
Buona sera – Good evening
Buona notte – Good night

Italian phrases to ask for help

Aiuto! – Help
Sono stato assalito – I've been robbed
Ho perso... (e.g. il mio passaporto) – I've lost... (e.g. my passport)
Ho bisogno di un dottore – I need a doctor

Essential Italian phrases for shopping

These Italian phrases for travel will be necessary in case you need to head to the supermarket or decide to go on a clothes shopping spree in the Italian capital of fashion, Milano.

Or, perhaps you just want to get your family some souvenirs. Now you'll be ready!

I negozi – Shops
Quanto costa? – How much is it?
Quanto costa questo? – How much is this?
Lo compro / lo prendo – I'll take it!
È troppo caro – It's too expensive
Non lo voglio, grazie – I don't want it, thank you
Dove sono i camerini? – Where are the fitting rooms?
Posso pagare con carta di credito? – May I pay with a credit card?

Sample Italian dialogue:

Seller: Buon giorno, cosa sta cercando? Good morning, what are you looking for?

Customer: Posso guardare? May I just look?

Seller: Sì, certo. Mi faccia sapere se ha bisogno di qualcosa. Yes, of course. Let me know if you need anything.

Customer: Certo, grazie. Sure, thank you.

Useful Italian words and phrases at restaurants

Let's face it, dining out in Italy is an inevitability if you go. So, you'll need to know these Italian words and phrases if you're ordering food at a restaurant.

Start to memorize this vocabulary as soon as you can!

A glass / bottle – un bicchiere / una bottiglia
Vino della casa – house wine
Il menu, per favore – Can I see the menu, please?
Il conto, per favore – Can I get the check, please?
Vino rosso / vino bianco – red wine / white wine
Dov'è il bagno? – Where is the restroom?
Che cosa ci consiglia? – What do you recommend?
Vorrei... – I would like...
Sono allergico/a a... – I'm allergic to...
La salsa è piccante? – Is the sauce spicy?
Posso pagare con la carta? – May I pay by card?

Asking for directions in Italian

Some more Italian phrases for travel.

Dov’è...? (e.g. la stazione) – Where is...? (e.g. the train station)
Entrata – Entrance
Uscita – Exit
Sinistra – Left
Destra – Right
Dritto – Straight ahead
Avanti – Forward
Dietro – Back

Basic phrases for transport & tickets

If you're looking to move from place to place, you'll need these Italian travel phrases to get by.

Particularly if you choose to get away from big cities and decide to go to the countryside where many Italians do not speak English.

Biglietto – ticket
Andata – one way
Ritorno – return
Il treno – the train
Binario – platform
Un taxi – taxi
Autobus – bus
Macchina – car
Parcheggio – parking
L'aeroporto – the airport
Arrivo – arrival
Partenza – departure
La fermata dell'autobus – bus stop
La stazione ferroviaria – the train station

More Basic Italian phrases for getting around

Dov'è la stazione? – Where is the train station?
Dov'è la società di noleggio auto? – Where is the car rental company?
Un biglietto del treno, per favore! – A train ticket, please!
Da quale binario per Milano? – What platform for Milan?

Making new Italian friends

We encourage you to venture out of your comfort zone to make some new friends while you're visiting Italy. These key phrases may come in handy.

Mi chiamo... – My name is...
Come ti chiami? – What's your name?
Come si chiama lui/lei? – What's his/her name?

Sample Italian dialogue:

A: Ciao, come stai? – How are you?

B: Molto bene, grazie e tu? – Very well, thank you, and you?

A: Bene. Ti sta piacendo il tuo viaggio in Italia? – Good. Are you enjoying your trip to Italy?

B: Sì, mi piace molto. – Yes, I'm enjoying it very much.

Start to speak Italian with some key Italian phrases

Italian pronunciation is very straightforward, which will make your task of learning these key Italian phrases much easier.

Unlike French, but much like Spanish, the Italian language is highly phonetic. This means that sounds are pronounced exactly as they're written, with only a few exceptions.

For language learners, this is great news and makes learning Italian much easier.

Summing Up: Common Italian Phrases for Travel

Now you're all set for your next trip to Italy.

Whether you're visiting Italian friends or simply interested in Italian culture, it's useful to know some Italian travel phrases before you hop on that airplane.

Italy has so much to offer that these newfound language skills might even help you to get some useful travel tips in the local language. How impressive would that be?

From being able to ask if someone speaks English (Parla Inglese?) and ordering food at a restaurant to getting a taxi or asking for directions, this Italian travel guide will help make your trip to Italy more enjoyable.

If you're serious about developing your skills, why not learn Italian with Lingopie? This streaming platform enables you to learn the Italian language through movies and TV shows. You can also practice with exercises and features, including dual subtitles and flashcards.

Common Italian Travel Phrases You Need to Learn [Language Tips]