What Italian phrases should I learn before visiting Italy?

Greetings and goodbyes

Ciao is both hello and goodbye, but only with people you would call tu: friends, children, people your own age in a relaxed setting. To a shop assistant, a waiter or anyone older, say buongiorno until the afternoon and buonasera after that. The switch happens somewhere between mid and late afternoon, and earlier in Tuscany. Salve is a neutral hello that works when you are unsure.

Buonanotte is only for going to bed or leaving late at night, never as a greeting.

Polite essentials

Prego is the all-purpose polite word. It means "you're welcome", but you will also hear it as "come in", "after you" and "go ahead, what can I get you?" when it is your turn at a counter.

Use mi scusi (polite) to get someone's attention or apologise for a small thing, and permesso to get past people on a bus or in a doorway. Mi dispiace is a real "I'm sorry".

Eating and drinking

Water comes in a bottle unless you ask otherwise: the waiter will ask naturale o frizzante? (still or sparkling). Tap water is acqua del rubinetto; some places will bring a jug, many will steer you back to a bottle.

The bill only comes when you ask for it. A small per-person coperto (cover charge) on the bill is normal and is not a tip; see our coperto and tipping guide. The toast is salute! ("health") or the more playful cin cin!.

Shopping and markets

Prices in shops and on food-market stalls are fixed, and bargaining is not done. Say buongiorno or buonasera when you walk in and arrivederci or grazie on the way out, even if you only looked.

Cards are widely accepted, but small cafés and market stalls still like cash, and our cash or card in Italy guide covers where you still need it.

Getting around

Toilets are il bagno in conversation; signs may say toilette or WC.

For trains, say the destination after per: un biglietto per Firenze. In a taxi, si fermi qui is the polite way to say "stop here".

Numbers 1 to 10, 100 and 1,000

Italian double consonants are held a beat longer: otto (eight) is OHT-toh, not OH-toh. Prices are in euros, said euro (EH-oo-roh) for one or many.

Help and emergencies

112 is the free European emergency number and works anywhere in Italy. Most regions now route all emergencies through it; the older numbers (113 police, 115 fire, 118 ambulance) still connect where the switch is not finished.

Etiquette that matters more than words

Greet before you ask. Walking into a small shop, a bar or a pharmacy without a buongiorno or buonasera is the most common way visitors come across as rude. The same goes for leaving without an arrivederci.

Use Lei with anyone you don't know, whatever their age, unless they are a child. It is the form the phrases above use (Come sta?, Mi scusi, Parla inglese?). Italians will switch to tu when they want to, and ciao follows.

Address people as signore or signora if you need to: Scusi, signora is a polite way to stop someone. A handshake is the normal greeting on being introduced; kisses on both cheeks are for friends and family, so wait for the other person to lead.

Food is where the real rules are. Our what's considered rude in Italy guide covers the cappuccino rule, cheese on seafood pasta and the other table habits that get noticed far more than grammar mistakes.

Frequently asked questions