Italian for Business Travelers
Traveling to a foreign country on business can be daunting, especially if you do not speak the language. This guide will assist anyone traveling to Italy for business or pleasure, with special attention given to those situations (i.e., the post office, making a telephone call) in which an English speaker would most likely not be present. The Italians are a very accommodating and warm people who welcome stranieri (foreigners) with open arms. Your attempts to speak Italian will be encouraged, and if you keep in mind these few basic frasi (phrases), you’ll be able to conduct your business with ease.
Say It Like You Mean It
Italian is a phonetic language and with few exceptions you say what you see. Understanding a few basic rules of pronunciation will aid you as you sound out the words you read.
Italian Vowels and Their Pronunciation
It is essential that you pronounce Italian-language vowels correctly.
| Vowel | Sound | Example | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | ah as in “father” | artista (artist) | arteesah |
| e | eh as is “make” | elefante (elephant) | elehfahnteh |
| i | ee as in “feet” | isola (island) | eezohlah |
| o | oh as in “note” | otto (eight) | ohttoh |
| u | oo as in “moon” | Lucca | lookah |
Italian Consonants and Their Pronunciation
Many Italian-language consonants are pronounced like their English-language equivalents. Outlined below are the different Italian letter combinations.
| Consonant | Sound | Example | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| C + a, o, u | hard c like cat | casa (house) | kahzah |
| C + e, i | soft c like cello | cena (dinner) | chehnah |
| Ch + e, i | hard c like cat | Chianti | keeahntee |
| G + e, i | j like jelly | giorno (day) | jornoh |
| Gh | hard g like giddy | spaghetti | spahgettee |
| Gl | ll like million | figlio (son) | feelyoh |
| Gn | ny like canyon | bagno (bathroom) | bahnyoh |
| H | silent unless used in combination with c or g | ho (I have) | oh |
| R | Trilled | Roberto | rohbertoh |
| S | s like sun | sole (sun) | sohleh |
| S (between vowels) | z like rose | rosa (rose) | rohzah |
| Sc + a, o, u | sk like scandal | scala (stair) | skahlah |
| Sc + e, i | sh like shell | pesce (fish) | pehsheh |
| Z | ts like rats | grazie (thank you) | grahtseeyeh |
| Z + e | z like zebra | zero (zero) | zehroh |
Basic Phrases
After the hellos have been said, it’s time to get down to business.
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| I need … | Ho bisogno di … |
| I’d like … | Vorrei … |
| Do you have …? | Ha …? |
| Is there/Are there …? | C’è/Ci sono … |
| How much does it cost? | Quanto costa? |
| Do you have the time? | Sa l’ora? |
| When? | Quando |
| What? | Che cosa |
| Where is …? | Dov’è …? |
| Help! | Aiuto! |
| I lost my wallet/passport. | Ho perso il portafoglio/il passaporto. |
| I need a doctor. | Ho bisogno di un medico. |
| Where is the restroom? | Dov’è la toilette? |
Getting Around
You may want to consult an Italian phrase book for better directions. However, the following phrases will assist you in getting to many places.
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| How do you get to …? | Come si arriva a …? |
| Where is … | Dov’è … |
| … a bank? | … una banca |
| … center (downtown)? | … centro |
| … the police? | … la polizia |
| … the airport? | … l’aeroporto |
| … the hospital? | … l’ospedale |
| … the train station? | … la stazione ferroviaria? |
| … the bus station? | … la stazione degli autobus? |
| Is it near/far? | È vicino/lontano? |
| Is the bus stop near here? | È qui vicino la fermata dell’autobus? |
| Is this the stop for …? | È questa la fermata pèr …? |
| Is there a connection? | C’è una coincidenza? |
| I’d like a ticket, please. | Vorrei un biglietto per favore. |
| … one way. | … andata solo. |
| … round trip. | … andata e ritorno. |
| When does it depart/arrive? | Quando parte/arriva? |
| From what gate/track does it leave? | Da quale cancello/binario parte? |
| here/there | qui/li |
Food
Life in Italy revolves around the table. With the good food, fine wine, and elegant conversazione, it’s no wonder. Most restaurants tack on una coperta (a cover charge) for service and bread. A 5–10 percent tip is customary for exceptional service.
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| Waiter! | Cameriere! |
| I’d like to make a reservation for this evening. | Vorrei fare una prenotazione per stasera. |
| Can we sit … | Possiamo sederci … |
| … near the window? | … vicino alla finestra? |
| … outside? | … fuori? |
| Is there a non-smoking section? | C’è una zona per non fumatori? |
| A menu, please. | Una lista per favore. |
| What is the house specialty? | Qual è la specialità della casa? |
| The check, please. | Il conto per favore. |
Telecommunications
As soon as you arrive in Italy, it’s a good idea to purchase a prepaid telephone card, called a scheda telefonica, denominated in euros (3.00 euros, 6.00 euros, etc.). You’ll have to break off the corner and insert the card as directed on the telephone. The small screen at the top of the phone will indicate how many units are available. (The longer and the farther the call, the more units consumed.) Most numbers in Italy start with 0 plus the area code, followed by the number. If you are calling from outside Italy, you do not need to dial 0. For a domestic operator, dial 15; for an international operator, dial 170; emergencies, dial 112 or 113. International rates are higher in Italy. If possible, charge your calls back home. Find out from your long-distance provider the Italian local access number before you depart. toll-free 800 numbers do not function outside North America.
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| Do you sell telephone cards? | Vendete schede telefoniche? |
| Hello? (used only for the telephone) | Pronto? |
| I’d like to speak with … | Vorrei parlare con … |
| This is … (your name) | Sono … |
| Is there a message for me? | C’è un messaggio per me? |
| I’d like to leave a message. | Vorrei lasciare un messaggio. |
| I’d like to make a … | Vorrei fare … |
| … collect call | … una telefonata a carico del destinatario. |
| … credit-card call | … una telefonata con carta di credito. |
| … long-distance call | … una telefonata interurbana. |
| … local call | … una telefonata urbana. |
| area code | il prefisso |
| Yellow Pages | le pagine gialle |
| Is there a fax machine? | C’è un fax? |
| I’d like to send a fax. | Vorrei inviare un fax. |
| I’m expecting a fax. | Aspetto un fax. |
| la posta elettronica | |
| e-mail address | l’indirizzo elettronico |
| Do you have Internet access? | Avete l’accesso ad Internet? |
At the Post Office
Cartoline (postcards) and francobolli (stamps) can be purchased at any cartoleria (stationery store) and often at the tabaccheria (smoke shop), in addition to the ufficio postale (post office). In Rome, you can also send postcards through the Vatican (but make sure to buy Vatican stamps).
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| Where is the … | Dov’è … |
| … post office? | … l’ufficio postale? |
| … a mailbox? | … la buca da lettere? |
| I’d like to send this letter/postcard … | Vorrei spedire questa lettera/cartolina … |
| … by airmail. | … per posta aerea. |
| … by express mail. | … per espresso. |
| … by registered mail. | … per posta raccomandata. |
| How much does it cost? | Quanto costa? |
Money Matters
Florins (named after Florence), the currency used during the Renaissance, gave way to lire, which have now given way to euros. Each denomination of euro spiccioli (coins) in Italy has a unique design arising from Italian history and culture. Shop around before exchanging your money into euros. Many of the currency exchange offices charge a standard fee, while others take a percentage. Not surprisingly, these charges can vary greatly. ATMs, called Bancomat, are now commonplace. Make sure you have the proper access numbers before you depart, and be sure to notify your credit card company that you may be making purchases abroad. (For your protection, some companies will block a card if they see any unusual changes.)
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| automated teller machine | Bancomat |
| bank | la banca |
| bill | il conto |
| cash register | la cassa |
| change | il resto |
| coins | gli spicci |
| Do you accept credit cards? | Accettate le carte di credito? |
| What is today’s exchange? | Qual’?? cambio oggi? |
For more Italian to assist you on your journey, consult The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Learning Italian, Third Edition by Gabrielle Euvino. But even if you can only speak the phrases in this guide, your business trip to Italy will be a success. Have a great trip!
