Say It in Italian: An Umbra Student’s Guide to Everyday Phrases
An opnion piece by Emerson Sheehan
A key element to the experience of living abroad is making the effort to immerse yourself in another culture. What better way to do this than through language? Whether you are ordering a coffee or navigating on a day trip, understanding and utilizing some common Italian words and phrases is the perfect way to start to feel like a local.
The Basics
You’ve heard the classic ciao and buongiorno, but if you’re looking to level up your greetings, try saying salve next time you go up to the counter to order a coffee. In the same vein, instead of saying grazie when leaving a store, you can say goodbye and thank employees with a buon lavoro!
Shopping
One particularly intimidating moment for many in the first days studying abroad is the first trip to an Italian grocery store. You might be caught off guard by the lack of American snacks, but you can put your mind at ease in the check-out line by understanding these frequently-used phrases. One common question you might hear is some variation of “Hai bisogno di una busta? (Listen for the world busta) This question is inquiring whether you’d like a bag for your products, to which you can respond a simple si or no. Next, the cashier might ask about your payment method (contanti o carta?) and you can respond based on your preferred method of payment (contanti = cash, carta or bancomat = card). And voila! You’ve made it through the grocery store like a local.
Travelling
Picture this: you only have a few mintues to make your connecting train, and you are running through the station frantically. You’re searching for the right train, trying to read the signs, but you are still totally lost. Don’t panic! You came prepared. You can recognize the Italian word for platform (binario) and ticket (biglietto). And in case you need to purchase a ticket at the station, you know to look for the biglietteria. Finally, in case you need to ask a kind stranger to point the way, you can ask: “Dovè….?” (Where is…?). Buon viaggio!
Dining
If you’re looking forward to all the incredible food Perugia has to offer, it can’t hurt to practice how to order it like a true Italian. You can start your order with a few courteous phrases, such as: “Vorrei [un cafe]” (I would like [a coffee]) or “Posso avere [un cornetto cioccolato?]” (Can I have [a chocolate croissant?]). If you’d like to ask the price of something, you can inquire “Quanto costa?” (also a handy phrase to have on hand while shopping!). At the end of the meal, you can ask for il conto (the bill) or keep the good times going and grab the dessert menu (“Posso vedere il menu dei dolci?”). Don’t forget to use per favore (please) and grazie (thank you) and you’re sure to have an amazing time tasting everything Perugia has to offer.
Becoming familiar with a few basic phrases such as these can help you feel more confident and connected during your study abroad adventure. Learning even a little of the local language goes a long way—not just in getting around, but in showing open-mindedness and curiosity for a new culture and way of life. So, keep practicing, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and most importantly—divertiti (have fun)! Buona fortuna!