100 Essential Italian Phrases for Daily Conversation

The 100 phrases below cover nearly every daily interaction in Italian: greetings, ordering food, directions, small talk, and emergencies. Learn them in these groups, practise out loud, and you will function comfortably from day one.

Greetings and Politeness

1. Ciao: hi / bye
2. Buongiorno: good morning
3. Buonasera: good evening
4. Arrivederci: goodbye
5. Buonanotte: good night
6. Grazie: thank you
7. Grazie mille: thanks a lot
8. Prego: you’re welcome / please go ahead
9. Per favore: please
10. Scusi: excuse me (formal)
11. Mi scusi: I’m sorry / excuse me
12. Non c’è problema: no problem
13. Benvenuto/Benvenuta: welcome
14. Piacere di conoscerti: nice to meet you
15. Come stai?: how are you?
16. Sto bene, grazie: I’m well, thanks
17. E tu?: and you?
18. Mi chiamo…: my name is…
19. Come ti chiami?: what’s your name?
20. Piacere: pleased to meet you

Ordering Food and Drinks

21. Vorrei…: I would like…
22. Un caffè, per favore: a coffee, please
23. Il menù, per favore: the menu, please
24. L’acqua, per favore: water, please
25. Una pizza margherita: a margherita pizza
26. Del vino rosso: some red wine
27. Non mangio carne: I don’t eat meat
28. Sono vegetariano/a: I’m vegetarian
29. Per me…: for me…
30. Che cosa mi consiglia?: what do you recommend?
31. È buonissimo/a: it’s very good
32. Il conto, per favore: the bill, please
33. Posso pagare con carta?: can I pay by card?
34. È tutto incluso?: is everything included?
35. Ho prenotato un tavolo: I reserved a table

Directions and Getting Around

36. Dov’è…?: where is…?
37. Dov’è la stazione?: where is the station?
38. A sinistra: on the left
39. A destra: on the right
40. Sempre dritto: straight ahead
41. Quanto dista?: how far is it?
42. A piedi: on foot
43. In treno: by train
44. Che ore sono?: what time is it?
45. Quanto costa?: how much is it?
46. Ho bisogno di un taxi: I need a taxi
47. Dov’è il bagno?: where is the bathroom?
48. Si arriva a piedi?: can you walk there?

Numbers (Essential Ones)

49. Uno, due, tre: one, two, three
50. Dieci: ten
51. Venti: twenty
52. Cinquanta: fifty
53. Cento: one hundred
54. Mille: one thousand

Small Talk and Conversation

55. Di dove sei?: where are you from?
56. Sono di…: I’m from…
57. Che lavoro fai?: what do you do?
58. Parlo poco italiano: I speak a little Italian
59. Non capisco: I don’t understand
60. Può ripetere?: can you repeat? (formal)
61. Più lentamente, per favore: more slowly, please
62. Parla inglese?: do you speak English? (formal)
63. Che bello!: how lovely!
64. Non lo so: I don’t know
65. Forse: maybe
66. D’accordo: agreed / OK
67. Mi piace molto: I like it a lot
68. Che tempo fa?: what’s the weather like?
69. Fa caldo / Fa freddo: it’s hot / it’s cold
70. Che cosa fai nel tempo libero?: what do you do in your free time?

Asking for Help

71. Puoi aiutarmi?: can you help me? (informal)
72. Potrebbe aiutarmi?: could you help me? (formal)
73. Ho bisogno di aiuto: I need help
74. Mi sono perso/a: I’m lost
75. Dov’è un’ambulanza?: where is an ambulance?
76. Chiamate la polizia!: call the police!
77. Ho perso il portafoglio: I lost my wallet
78. Non mi sento bene: I don’t feel well
79. Sono allergico/a a…: I’m allergic to…
80. Dov’è una farmacia?: where is a pharmacy?

Shopping

81. Quanto costa questo?: how much is this?
82. È troppo caro: it’s too expensive
83. Avete una taglia più grande?: do you have a bigger size?
84. Posso provarlo?: can I try it?
85. Cerco…: I’m looking for…
86. Accettate carte?: do you accept cards?
87. Lo prendo: I’ll take it
88. Un sacchetto, per favore: a bag, please

Emergencies

89. Aiuto!: help!
90. Al fuoco!: fire!
91. Pronto?: hello? (on the phone)
92. Numero di emergenza: emergency number
93. Dov’è l’ospedale?: where is the hospital?
94. Ho bisogno di un medico: I need a doctor

Useful Connectors and Fillers

95. E: and
96. Ma: but
97. Perché: because / why
98. Anche: also
99. Subito: right away
100. Tutto ok?: all good?

How to Learn These Fast

1. Learn in groups, not alphabetical lists: this list is already grouped by situation;
2. Say each one out loud three times: the mouth remembers what the eyes only glimpse;
3. Use them in a sentence today: force one phrase into a real or simulated exchange;
4. Come back in 3 and 7 days: spaced repetition is what actually sticks.

For pronunciation help, my pronunciation guide for English speakers is the perfect companion to this list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most useful Italian phrases for beginners?
Greetings, thanks, ordering, asking for help, and numbers: they cover most daily interactions.

How should I learn Italian phrases?
Learn by situation, practise out loud, and use them immediately. Context beats long lists.

What is the polite way to ask for something?
Use vorrei (I would like) or potrebbe…? (could you…?) with per favore.

How do I say basic greetings?
Ciao, buongiorno, buonasera, arrivederci, and come stai?.