The first words to learn in Italian

Learning a language is a fascinating journey: it opens doors, connects cultures, and lets you discover worlds you never knew existed. Italy is an incredible country, and congratulations on choosing to learn Italian so you can get to know it better. In this lesson you’ll learn the very first words you need to talk with an Italian.

Italian pronunciation

Before we jump into the first words, do you already know how to pronounce them? If you’d like to go deeper into pronunciation, I recommend this article: Italian pronunciation explained by an Italian native teacher.

Greetings (Saluti)

Ciao! Hello! / Bye!

Buongiorno! Good morning! / Good day!

Buonasera! Good evening!

Buonanotte! Good night!

Arrivederci! Goodbye!

A presto! See you soon!

Come sta? (formal) - Come stai? (informal) How are you?

Molto bene, grazie! Very well, thank you!

E Lei? (formal) - E tu? (informal) And you?

Politeness (Cortesia)

Per favore / Per piacere Please

Grazie / Grazie mille Thank you [very much]

Prego You’re welcome / Please (go ahead)

Mi scusi (formal) - Scusa (informal) - Mi dispiace Excuse me / I’m sorry

Non c’è problema No problem

Con permesso Excuse me (to pass by)

Essential Questions (Domande Fondamentali)

Parla inglese? Do you speak English?

Non parlo italiano I don’t speak Italian

Può ripetere, per favore? Can you repeat, please?

Più lentamente, per favore More slowly, please

Non capisco I don’t understand

Che cosa significa? What does it mean?

Come si dice… in italiano? How do you say… in Italian?

Dove? Where?

Quando? When?

Perché? Why?

Come? How?

Quanto? How much?

Quanto costa? How much does it cost?

Want a Hand?

This lesson gives you the words to break the ice, but the best way to make them stick is to practice them with a real teacher: someone who can correct your pronunciation, answer your questions on the spot, and keep you motivated.

Book a free trial lesson and start speaking Italian today!