Acquiring a solid vocabulary is the first step towards linguistic independence in Italy. This comprehensive list brings together 300 fundamental terms and expressions, organised by theme, to enable understanding and being understood in the majority of everyday situations, from travel to expressing feelings.
Greetings and politeness
Politeness is central to Italian culture. These terms allow you to initiate any interaction with respect.
- Buongiorno : Good morning/Good day (used from morning until early afternoon)
- Buonasera : Good evening (used from late afternoon onwards)
- Buonanotte : Good night (before sleeping)
- Ciao : Hi/Bye (informal, for saying hello or goodbye)
- Salve : Hello/Hi (neutral, more formal than ciao)
- Arrivederci : Goodbye
- A presto : See you soon
- A domani : See you tomorrow
- Addio : Farewell
- Piacere : Pleased to meet you
- Come sta? : How are you? (formal)
- Come stai? : How are you? (informal)
- Grazie : Thank you
- Grazie mille : Thank you very much
- Prego : You’re welcome/Please (response to thank you)
- Per favore : Please
- Per piacere : Please (common variant)
- Scusa : Excuse me (informal)
- Scusi : Excuse me (formal)
- Mi dispiace : I’m sorry
- Non c’è di che : Don’t mention it
- Sì : Yes
- No : No
- Forse : Perhaps
- D’accordo : Agreed
Pronouns and people
To build simple sentences, it’s necessary to know the subjects and designations of people. It’s important to note that to progress quickly, mastering the most commonly used verbs in connection with these pronouns is a key step.
- Io : I
- Tu : You
- Lui : He
- Lei : She (also used for formal address)
- Noi : We
- Voi : You (plural)
- Loro : They
- L’uomo (m.) : The man
- La donna (f.) : The woman
- Il ragazzo (m.) : The boy/The boyfriend
- La ragazza (f.) : The girl/The girlfriend
- Il bambino (m.) : The child (boy)
- La bambina (f.) : The child (girl)
- L’amico (m.) : The friend (male)
- L’amica (f.) : The friend (female)
- Il signore (m.) : The gentleman
- La signora (f.) : The lady/Mrs
- La gente (f.) : People (singular in Italian)
- La persona (f.) : The person
- Il nome (m.) : The name/First name
- Il cognome (m.) : The surname
The family (La famiglia)
- I genitori (m. pl.) : The parents
- Il padre (m.) : The father
- Il papà (m.) : Dad
- La madre (f.) : The mother
- La mamma (f.) : Mum
- Il figlio (m.) : The son
- La figlia (f.) : The daughter
- Il fratello (m.) : The brother
- La sorella (f.) : The sister
- Il nonno (m.) : The grandfather
- La nonna (f.) : The grandmother
- Lo zio (m.) : The uncle
- La zia (f.) : The aunt
- Il cugino (m.) : The cousin (male)
- La cugina (f.) : The cousin (female)
- Il nipote (m.) : The nephew/The grandson
- La nipote (f.) : The niece/The granddaughter
- Il marito (m.) : The husband
- La moglie (f.) : The wife
- I parenti (m. pl.) : The relatives (not the parents)
Essential and auxiliary verbs
The sentence structure relies on verbs. It’s crucial to master the auxiliaries “to be” and “to have” as well as the main action verbs.
- Essere : To be
- Avere : To have
- Fare : To do/To make
- Andare : To go
- Venire : To come
- Dire : To say
- Parlare : To speak
- Mangiare : To eat
- Bere : To drink
- Dormire : To sleep
- Capire : To understand
- Sapere : To know (facts)
- Conoscere : To know (people/places)
- Volere : To want
- Potere : To be able to/Can
- Dovere : To have to/Must
- Vedere : To see
- Guardare : To look/To watch
- Sentire : To hear/To feel
- Ascoltare : To listen
- Chiedere : To ask
- Rispondere : To answer
- Prendere : To take
- Dare : To give
- Trovare : To find
- Cercare : To look for
- Lavorare : To work
- Studiare : To study
- Viaggiare : To travel
- Comprare : To buy
- Pagare : To pay
- Amare : To love (passionate or general love)
- Voler bene : To love (affection for friends/family)
Feelings and emotions
Expressing feelings in Italian has important nuances, notably the distinction between passionate love and friendly affection.
- L’amore (m.) : Love
- L’amicizia (f.) : Friendship
- Felice : Happy
- Triste : Sad
- Arrabbiato : Angry
- Stanco : Tired
- Malato : Ill
- Preoccupato : Worried
- Sorpreso : Surprised
- La paura (f.) : Fear
- Il coraggio (m.) : Courage
- Ti amo : I love you (reserved for romantic partner)
- Ti voglio bene : I love you (for family and friends)
- Mi piace : I like it (for an object or activity)
Time and calendar
To organise a trip or make appointments, mastering temporal vocabulary is essential.
- Il tempo (m.) : Time (passing or weather)
- L’ora (f.) : The hour
- Il minuto (m.) : The minute
- Il giorno (m.) : The day
- La settimana (f.) : The week
- Il mese (m.) : The month
- L’anno (m.) : The year
- Oggi : Today
- Domani : Tomorrow
- Ieri : Yesterday
- Dopodomani : The day after tomorrow
- Stamattina : This morning
- Stasera : This evening
- Adesso / Ora : Now
- Dopo : After
- Prima : Before
- Presto : Early
- Tardi : Late
- Sempre : Always
- Mai : Never
- Spesso : Often
- Lunedì : Monday
- Martedì : Tuesday
- Mercoledì : Wednesday
- Giovedì : Thursday
- Venerdì : Friday
- Sabato : Saturday
- Domenica : Sunday
- La primavera (f.) : Spring
- L’estate (f.) : Summer
- L’autunno (m.) : Autumn
- L’inverno (m.) : Winter
Numbers (I numeri)
- Uno : One
- Due : Two
- Tre : Three
- Quattro : Four
- Cinque : Five
- Sei : Six
- Sette : Seven
- Otto : Eight
- Nove : Nine
- Dieci : Ten
- Undici : Eleven
- Dodici : Twelve
- Venti : Twenty
- Trenta : Thirty
- Quaranta : Forty
- Cinquanta : Fifty
- Cento : One hundred
- Mille : One thousand
- Duemila : Two thousand
- Un milione : One million
Useful questions and interrogative words
These structures allow you to obtain crucial information during a stay.
- Chi? : Who?
- Cosa? / Che cosa? : What?
- Dove? : Where?
- Quando? : When?
- Perché? : Why? (also used for “because”)
- Come? : How?
- Quanto? : How much/How many?
- Quale? : Which/Which one?
- Come si chiama? : What’s your name?
- Parla inglese? : Do you speak English?
- Non parlo italiano : I don’t speak Italian
- Potrebbe aiutarmi? : Could you help me?
- Dove si trova…? : Where is…?
- Quanto costa? : How much does it cost?
- Che ora è? : What time is it?
- Capisce? : Do you understand?
- Può ripetere? : Can you repeat?
Transport and travel
- Il viaggio (m.) : The journey
- Il biglietto (m.) : The ticket
- L’aeroporto (m.) : The airport
- L’aereo (m.) : The aeroplane
- La stazione (f.) : The station
- Il treno (m.) : The train
- Il binario (m.) : The platform
- L’autobus (m.) : The bus
- La fermata (f.) : The stop (bus stop)
- Il taxi (m.) : The taxi
- La macchina (f.) : The car
- Il noleggio (m.) : The rental
- La metropolitana (f.) : The underground
- L’orario (m.) : The timetable
- La partenza (f.) : The departure
- L’arrivo (m.) : The arrival
- Il ritardo (m.) : The delay
- Il bagaglio (m.) : The luggage
- La valigia (f.) : The suitcase
City and directions
To navigate easily in an Italian city, it’s advisable to download these vocabulary sheets to your phone.
- La città (f.) : The city
- Il centro (m.) : The city centre
- La via / La strada (f.) : The street/The road
- La piazza (f.) : The square
- Il ponte (m.) : The bridge
- L’incrocio (m.) : The crossroads
- Il semaforo (m.) : The traffic lights
- La mappa (f.) : The map
- La destinazione (f.) : The destination
- A destra : To the right
- A sinistra : To the left
- Dritto / Avanti : Straight ahead
- Indietro : Behind/Back
- Vicino : Near
- Lontano : Far
- Nord / Sud / Est / Ovest : North/South/East/West
- L’ufficio turistico (m.) : The tourist office
- L’entrata (f.) : The entrance
- L’uscita (f.) : The exit
Accommodation (L’alloggio)
- L’hotel / L’albergo (m.) : The hotel
- La prenotazione (f.) : The reservation
- La camera (f.) : The room
- Il letto (m.) : The bed
- Il bagno (m.) : The bathroom
- La doccia (f.) : The shower
- L’asciugamano (m.) : The towel
- Il cuscino (m.) : The pillow
- Le chiavi (f. pl.) : The keys
- La colazione inclusa : Breakfast included
- L’aria condizionata (f.) : Air conditioning
- Il riscaldamento (m.) : Heating
- La password wifi (f.) : The wifi password
- L’ascensore (m.) : The lift
- Al completo : Full
Food and drinks
As gastronomy is a pillar of the culture, this lexicon is essential.
- Il cibo (m.) : Food
- La bevanda (f.) : The drink
- L’acqua (f.) : Water (naturale = still / frizzante = sparkling)
- Il vino (m.) : Wine (rosso = red / bianco = white)
- La birra (f.) : Beer
- Il caffè (m.) : Coffee (espresso by default)
- Il latte (m.) : Milk
- Il tè (m.) : Tea
- Il succo (m.) : Juice
- Il pane (m.) : Bread
- La pasta (f.) : Pasta
- Il riso (m.) : Rice
- La carne (f.) : Meat
- Il pollo (m.) : Chicken
- Il pesce (m.) : Fish
- Il formaggio (m.) : Cheese
- La verdura (f.) : Vegetables
- La frutta (f.) : Fruit
- La mela (f.) : Apple
- L’uovo (m.) : Egg
- L’olio (m.) : Oil
- Il sale (m.) : Salt
- Il pepe (m.) : Pepper
- Lo zucchero (m.) : Sugar
- Il dolce (m.) : Dessert/Cake
- Il gelato (m.) : Ice cream
- Il cioccolato (m.) : Chocolate
At the restaurant
- Il ristorante (m.) : The restaurant
- Il tavolo (m.) : The table
- Il cameriere (m.) : The waiter
- Il menù (m.) : The menu
- L’antipasto (m.) : The starter (hors d’oeuvre)
- Il primo (m.) : The first course (often pasta or rice)
- Il secondo (m.) : The main course (meat or fish)
- Il contorno (m.) : The side dish (vegetables)
- Il conto (m.) : The bill
- Il coperto (m.) : Cover charge (typically Italian)
- La mancia (f.) : The tip
- La forchetta (f.) : The fork
- Il coltello (m.) : The knife
- Il cucchiaio (m.) : The spoon
- Il bicchiere (m.) : The glass
- Il tovagliolo (m.) : The napkin
- Buon appetito : Enjoy your meal
- Alla salute / Cin cin : Cheers
Shopping and clothes
- Il negozio (m.) : The shop
- Il mercato (m.) : The market
- Il supermercato (m.) : The supermarket
- Aperto : Open
- Chiuso : Closed
- I vestiti / L’abbigliamento (m.) : Clothes
- La maglietta (f.) : T-shirt
- I pantaloni (m. pl.) : Trousers
- Le scarpe (f. pl.) : Shoes
- La borsa (f.) : Bag/Handbag
- Il cappotto (m.) : Coat
- La taglia (f.) : Size
- Lo sconto (m.) : Discount
- I saldi (m. pl.) : Sales
- La cassa (f.) : Till/Checkout
- La carta di credito (f.) : Credit card
- I contanti (m. pl.) : Cash
- Il bancomat (m.) : Cash machine
- Costoso / Caro : Expensive
- Economico : Cheap
- Posso provare? : Can I try it on?
Health and human body
- Il corpo (m.) : The body
- La testa (f.) : The head
- Gli occhi (m. pl.) : The eyes
- La bocca (f.) : The mouth
- La mano (f.) : The hand
- Il piede (m.) : The foot
- Il cuore (m.) : The heart
- Lo stomaco (m.) : The stomach
- Il dottore / Il medico (m.) : The doctor
- L’ospedale (m.) : The hospital
- La farmacia (f.) : The pharmacy
- La medicina (f.) : Medicine
- L’ambulanza (f.) : The ambulance
- Il dolore (m.) : Pain
- La febbre (f.) : Fever
- La tosse (f.) : Cough
- Il raffreddore (m.) : Cold
- Aiuto! : Help!
Common descriptive adjectives
These adjectives allow you to enrich descriptions and clarify thoughts.
- Bello : Beautiful
- Brutto : Ugly/Bad
- Grande : Big
- Piccolo : Small
- Buono : Good
- Cattivo : Bad/Naughty
- Nuovo : New
- Vecchio : Old
- Giovane : Young
- Facile : Easy
- Difficile : Difficult
- Caldo : Hot
- Freddo : Cold
- Pieno : Full
- Vuoto : Empty
- Pulito : Clean
- Sporco : Dirty
- Veloce : Fast
- Lento : Slow
- Giusto : Right/Correct
- Sbagliato : Wrong/Incorrect
- Importante : Important
- Pronto : Ready
- Stesso : Same
- Diverso : Different
Colours (I colori)
- Bianco : White
- Nero : Black
- Rosso : Red
- Blu : Blue
- Verde : Green
- Giallo : Yellow
- Arancione : Orange
- Rosa : Pink
- Viola : Purple
- Grigio : Grey
- Marrone : Brown
- Azzurro : Azure blue (Italian national colour)
Linking words and conjunctions
To make speech flow and connect ideas together, these small words are indispensable.
- E : And
- O / Oppure : Or
- Ma : But
- Se : If
- Anche : Also
- Quindi / Allora : So/Then
- Però : However/But
- Perché : Because/Why
- Mentre : While
- Quando : When
- Dove : Where
- Che : That/Who (relative)
- Con : With
- Senza : Without
- Per : For
- Su : On
- Tra / Fra : Between
Weather
- Il tempo (m.) : Weather
- Il sole (m.) : Sun
- La pioggia (f.) : Rain
- La neve (f.) : Snow
- Il vento (m.) : Wind
- La nuvola (f.) : Cloud
- Il temporale (m.) : Storm
- La nebbia (f.) : Fog
- Fa caldo : It’s hot
- Fa freddo : It’s cold
- Fa bel tempo : It’s nice weather
- Fa brutto tempo : It’s bad weather
- Piove : It’s raining
- Nevica : It’s snowing
- C’è il sole : It’s sunny
- È nuvoloso : It’s cloudy
- L’ombrello (m.) : Umbrella
Places and buildings
- La casa (f.) : House
- L’appartamento (m.) : Flat
- La stanza (f.) : Room
- La cucina (f.) : Kitchen
- Il salotto (m.) : Living room
- La camera da letto (f.) : Bedroom
- La finestra (f.) : Window
- La porta (f.) : Door
- La chiesa (f.) : Church
- Il museo (m.) : Museum
- La banca (f.) : Bank
- L’ufficio postale (m.) : Post office
- La scuola (f.) : School
- L’università (f.) : University
- Il parco (m.) : Park
- La spiaggia (f.) : Beach
- Il mare (m.) : Sea
- La montagna (f.) : Mountain
- Il lago (m.) : Lake
- Il fiume (m.) : River
Communication and technology
- Il telefono (m.) : Telephone
- Il cellulare (m.) : Mobile phone
- Il computer (m.) : Computer
- Internet : Internet
- Il wifi (m.) : Wifi
- L’email (f.) : Email
- Il messaggio (m.) : Message
- La foto (f.) : Photo
- Chiamare : To call (phone)
- Inviare : To send
Useful idiomatic expressions
- In bocca al lupo! : Good luck! (literally: into the wolf’s mouth)
- Crepi! : Thanks! (response to “in bocca al lupo”)
- Va bene : Alright/OK
- Non fa niente : It doesn’t matter
- Ci vediamo : See you
- Che bello! : How beautiful!
- Mamma mia! : Good gracious