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Italian basics: greetings and essentials

Twenty-one essential Italian words and phrases for greetings, politeness, cafés and getting around, each with an example sentence and pronunciation hint.

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The cards, front and back

  1. 1
    Front

    Hi / Bye (informal)

    Back

    Ciao

    Used with friends for both hello and goodbye.

    Say: CHOW

  2. 2
    Front

    Good morning / Good day

    Back

    Buongiorno

    Used from morning until early afternoon, and in shops and offices.

    Say: bwon-JOR-noh

  3. 3
    Front

    Good evening

    Back

    Buonasera

    Used from late afternoon onwards.

    Say: bwoh-nah-SEH-rah

  4. 4
    Front

    Good night

    Back

    Buonanotte

    Said when going to bed or leaving late at night.

    Say: bwoh-nah-NOT-teh

  5. 5
    Front

    Goodbye

    Back

    Arrivederci (ArrivederLa is very formal)

    Example: Arrivederci e grazie! (Goodbye and thank you!)

    Say: ah-ree-veh-DEHR-chee

  6. 6
    Front

    See you later

    Back

    A dopo, or A più tardi

    Example: Ci vediamo a dopo. (See you later.)

  7. 7
    Front

    Please

    Back

    Per favore

    Example: Un caffè, per favore. (A coffee, please.)

    Say: pehr fah-VOH-reh

  8. 8
    Front

    Thank you / Thank you very much

    Back

    Grazie / Grazie mille

    Say: GRAHT-tsyeh MEEL-leh

  9. 9
    Front

    You're welcome

    Back

    Prego

    Prego is also used to say go ahead or come in.

    Say: PREH-goh

  10. 10
    Front

    Yes / No

    Back

    Sì / No

    Say: see / noh

  11. 11
    Front

    Excuse me

    Back

    Scusi (formal) / Scusa (informal). Use Permesso to get past someone.

    Example: Scusi, dov'è la stazione? (Excuse me, where is the station?)

  12. 12
    Front

    I'm sorry

    Back

    Mi dispiace

    Example: Mi dispiace, non lo so. (I'm sorry, I don't know.)

    Say: mee dee-SPYAH-cheh

  13. 13
    Front

    How are you?

    Back

    Come sta? (formal) / Come stai? (informal)

    Reply: Bene, grazie, e tu? (Fine, thanks, and you?)

  14. 14
    Front

    What's your name?

    Back

    Come si chiama? (formal) / Come ti chiami? (informal)

    Reply: Mi chiamo Luca. (My name is Luca.)

    Say: KYAH-mee

  15. 15
    Front

    Nice to meet you

    Back

    Piacere

    Example: Piacere, sono Giulia. (Nice to meet you, I'm Giulia.)

    Say: pyah-CHEH-reh

  16. 16
    Front

    I don't understand

    Back

    Non capisco

    Say: non kah-PEES-koh

  17. 17
    Front

    Do you speak English?

    Back

    Parla inglese? (formal) / Parli inglese? (informal)

    Say: PAR-lah een-GLEH-zeh

  18. 18
    Front

    I would like...

    Back

    Vorrei...

    Example: Vorrei un gelato al limone. (I would like a lemon ice cream.)

    Say: vor-RAY

  19. 19
    Front

    How much is it?

    Back

    Quanto costa?

    Example: Quanto costa il biglietto? (How much is the ticket?)

  20. 20
    Front

    Where is...?

    Back

    Dov'è...?

    Example: Dov'è il bagno? (Where is the bathroom?)

    Say: doh-VEH

  21. 21
    Front

    The bill, please

    Back

    Il conto, per favore

    In Italy you usually ask for the bill; it is not brought automatically.

  22. 22
    Front

    Good afternoon

    Back

    Buon pomeriggio

    Less common than buongiorno or buonasera, but polite in the early afternoon.

    Say: bwon poh-meh-REED-joh

  23. 23
    Front

    Where are you from?

    Back

    Di dove sei? (informal) / Di dov'è? (formal)

    Reply: Sono australiano (male speaker) / australiana (female speaker). (I'm Australian.)

  24. 24
    Front

    Can you help me?

    Back

    Mi può aiutare? (formal) / Mi puoi aiutare? (informal)

    Example: Scusi, mi può aiutare, per favore? (Excuse me, can you help me, please?)

  25. 25
    Front

    tu and Lei

    Back

    Tu is informal, for friends, family, children and people your age. Lei (often written with a capital L) is the formal you, used with strangers, older people and in shops, and takes the same verb form as she.

How to use this template

This deck covers the Italian you need for a first trip or a first lesson: greetings for different times of day, polite words, introductions, and phrases for cafés, shops and finding your way. The English is on the front and the Italian on the back, with an example sentence and an easy pronunciation guide. It suits beginners, travellers and students starting Italian at school. Study in Learn mode and say every phrase aloud, then use Test mode so spaced repetition can bring back what you forget. Print it double-sided to take on your travels.

Tips

  • Say the phrases aloud with energy. Italian vowels are always pronounced clearly, never swallowed.
  • Practise double consonants such as in grazie mille and arrivederci. Hold them slightly longer.
  • Remember that c and g are soft before e and i (ciao, buongiorno) and hard before a, o and u.
  • Use the formal forms with strangers, shop staff and older people.
  • Act out a café scene: greet the barista, order, ask the price and say goodbye.

Make it fit

  • Add food and drink words for the region you are visiting.
  • Add numbers one to ten and times of day for a fuller beginner set.
  • Teachers can add classroom phrases like Posso andare in bagno?
  • Write a self-introduction card with your name, age, home country and hobbies.

Updated October 28, 2026

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