Let's Learn About Italian Style!

With so many shops that carry beautiful clothing in Italy, you will probably want to talk about what you are wearing in Italian! It seems tricky at first, but just follow our method, and you will have it down in no time!

Here is a summary of this topic, adapted from  Chapter 10 of our book Conversational Italian for Travelers Just the Verbs © 2012 by Stella Lucente, LLC,  available on Amazon.com and www.Learn Travel Italian.com.

Below are some important verbs to know and how to use them when talking about Italian clothing. Look for the shop signs that say "saldi" for "sale" and get started buying some fabulous clothes in Italy!

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                                        How to Wear Italian Clothes

Vestirsi = to get dressed.

Notice that getting dressed is reflexive in Italian. Remember that with reflexive verbs, we drop the subject pronoun (io, tu, lei, lui, noi, voi, loro) and understand who is getting dressed from the reflexive pronoun and verb ending.

Mi vesto.    (I) get dressed.
Ti vesti.      (You) get dressed.
Si veste.     (She/He) gets dressed.

Don't confuse the verb vestirsi with the noun vestito, which means the article of clothing that is an actual dress!


Mettersi = to put on.

Notice the many English phrases that are simply spoken with short Italian phrases using mettersi.

Mi metto il vestito.  (I) put on the dress.
                                      (I) put the dress on.
                                      (I) put on my dress.

Ti metti l'anello.       (You) put on the ring.
Si mette le scarpe.   (She/He) puts on the shoes.

If you want to say "I am wearing..." or "I take the size..." use the regularly conjugated verb portare, which in other situations means "to bring" or "to carry."

Porto il mio vestito preferito.     (I) am wearing my favorite dress.
Porto la taglia quarantotto.        (I) take size 48.


If you really want to be a part of Italian culture, use this idiomatic expression, which refers to shoes and means something fits perfectly. It is the equivalent of the English saying, "It fits me like a glove," or, "It fits me to a T"!
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Mi calza a pennello!      It fits me perfectly!... Like a glove! ...To a "T"!


Some of this material was reprinted from Conversational Italian for Travelers Just the Verbs, courtesy of Stella Lucente, LLC.  Book available on Amazon.com and download to electronic devices on www.LearnTravelItalian.com. 


​Contact Corrine at [email protected] for special  book offers with the promo code CIAP.


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Let's talk about speaking in Italian! 

Here is a short blog of phrases that are found in my Conversational Italian for Travelers pocket travel book "Just the Important Phrases".  I call this little book "Your T
traveling companion in Italy," since, like the title suggests, it has "all the phrases you need to know to enjoy your trip to Italy." 

Traveling to Italy this summer?  Whether you are going in a group or with your family, try out these phrases, and get started on your way to communicating in Italian! 

If you are asked:
Parla italiano?       (Do) you (polite) speak Italian?

You may reply:
Si, un po’.                Yes, a little.
Si, molto bene.      Yes, very well.
No, mi dispiace!    No, I am sorry!
 Parla inglese?       (Do) you (polite) speak English?

An Italian may say:
No, parlo soltanto italiano.     
No, (I) only speak Italian.

You may want to ask:
Dov’è un interprete?               
Where is an interpreter?


If you are having difficulty understanding fluent Italian, you may want to say:
Che cosa?/Che?/ Cosa?    What?

Non capisco.                       (I) don’t understand.
Non capisco che cosa ha detto.
                                               (I) didn’t understand what you (polite) said.

Non ho sentito.                (I) didn’t hear (you).

Lei parla troppo veloce (per me)!
                                              You (polite) speak too fast (for me)!

To ask for help you could try:
Per favore, può...                           Please, could you (polite)...
    ...parlare più lentamente          ...speak more slowly?
     ...parlare più piano?                   ...speak more slowly?
     ...parlare più forte?                    ...speak more loudly?
     ...parlare in inglese?                  ...speak in English?

Non parlare troppo veloce.       Don’t speak too quickly.
Può ripetere?                                 Could you (polite) repeat (that)?

Come si dice...?                             How (do) you (polite) say...?
                                                          (literally: How does one say...?)

Come si dice in italiano?           How (do) you (polite) say (it) in Italian?
Cosa significa?                             What does (it) mean?
Come si chiama in italiano?    What is it called in Italian?


​Some of this material was reprinted from Conversational Italian for Travelers Just the Important Phrases (with Restaurant Vocabulary and Idiomatic Expressions), courtesy of Stella Lucente, LLC.  Book available on Amazon.com and download to electronic devices on www.LearnTravelItalian.com. 


​Contact Corrine at [email protected] for special  book offers with the promo code CIAP.

​
Let's get started Learning Italian with the basics - meeting and greeting your friends in Italian! These expressions will be even more important to know if you are planning a trip to Italy.  A little Italian goes a long way to making friends in Italy.  

As in English, in Italian there are many ways to greet people, and different expressions will be used depending on the situation and how well the individuals know one another.  Many easygoing, familiar, and slang expressions are commonly used in Italy today, just like here in America, although polite forms of address are still important to know in Italy.

Listed below are some of the most common ways to say, "hello." 

“Buon giorno” can be used to mean “Good morning,” when greeting family members at home and shop owners at the piazza in Italy; this phrase can also be used in more formal situations as its literal translation: “Good day.” It is a phrase used so often that in fact, that in Italy one often hears the reply shortened to simply “Giorno.” 

There are at least as many ways to say “good bye” as there are to say “hello,” in Italian, as listed below.

Notice from our list that the word ciao is unique because it can be used as an informal “hi” and a quick way to say “bye.” Ciao is used frequently throughout Italy today, but only with family and friends.  So, don't get stuck on the word ciao  - use your more formal greetings for those Italians you may meet the first time here in America or during your travels in Italy.

The word salve is also interesting.  It's originals date back many centuries.  Today, it is thought to be a bit formal and yet... still a bit informal.  In short, it is a good choice for both formal and informal situations.  Or, even when one is not sure just how "formal" the situation should be!

Use the phrases below as a guide when you are visiting Italy.  Take a walk (like the Italians love to do) and practice all of these greetings with the new people you meet at the shops, restaurants, and in the piazza! - Kathryn Occhipinti

Here are some ways to say "Hello" in Italian

Buon giorno.*
Good morning. (lit. Good day.)  used all day into the evening

Buona sera.*
Good evening.  early nighttime greeting, from about 4 PM (although the exact time of use for this phrase varies)

 Buona notte.*
Good night.   used when leaving/bedtime

 *Can be written as one word, as in buongiorno, buonasera, or buonanotte.

Buona giornata.
(Have a) good day.  wish someone a nice (entire) day

Salve.
Hello. (old greeting/ both formal and informal)

Ciao.
Hi./Bye. very informal - only for family and friends

Ciao bella!
Ciao bello!
Hey, beautiful girl! for someone you know (well)
Hey, handsome!

Come va?
How (is it) go(ing)? (a slang greeting used often)



 And some ways to say "Good Bye":

 Ci vediamo!
(Until) we see each other (again)! for family or for a friend you hope to see again soon
 
Arrivederci.
Good bye. (familiar polite)

Arrivederla.
Good bye. (polite, with respect)

ArrivederLa.
Good bye. (formal written form)

A dopo!
(See you) later! (good bye between friends)

A più tardi!
(See you) later! (good bye between friends)

A presto!
(See you) soon!
(good bye between friends)

Ciao Ciao!
Bye Bye!


 Use these phrases to agree with what someone is saying:
Si.
Yes.

Certo.
 Of course.

D’accordo.
(I) agree.

Penso di si.
(I) think so.
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Some of this material was reprinted from Conversational Italian for Travelers Just the Important Phrases (with Restaurant Vocabulary and Idiomatic Expressions), courtesy of Stella Lucente, LLC.  Book available on Amazon.com and download to electronic devices on www.LearnTravelItalian.com. 

Contact Corrine at [email protected] for special book offers with the promo code CIAP.
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