Are you dreaming of learning Italian? Maybe you are fascinated by Italian culture, are traveling to Italy, or want to connect with your roots.
No matter the reason, to get started and have your first basic conversations in Italian, you’ll need to learn your first words and how to use them! Here are the first 5 Italian words and how to use them.
Spaghetti/Pasta
When ordering pasta in Italian, you should use the verb prendere (prehn-deh-reh), which literally means to take, but here, it means to have. To order pasta, you would say “Io prendo…” or “Io vorrei…”, meaning “I’ll have…” or “I would like…” respectively.
If you’re ready to order the spaghetti, you could say, “lo prendo spaghetti.”
Gelato
After dinner, you may find yourself at the ice cream shop for dessert. We’re all familiar with the delicious treat gelato, so you better know how to order it in Italian, so you don’t miss out.
“Buongiorno, vorrei un gelato grande in copetta, per favore.” In English, that’s “Hello, I would like a large gelato in a cup, please.” Make sure to add in what flavor you’d like after looking at the choices!
Dov’è…?
Beautiful, historic Italy wouldn’t be a bad place to get lost. But if you’re looking for something specific, you should probably know how to ask for directions. Dov’è means “where is,” so you can use it in front of what you’re looking for.
Ask “Dov’è la stazione?” which means “where is the train station?”
Aiuto!
In an emergency, ensure you know how to call for help. Aiuto means help and can be used alone or with a phrase.
Say Aiuto, Ho bisogno di un dottore! If you want to say “Help, I need a doctor!” You can also add what you learned early on asking for directions and combine it here to say, “Auito, dov’è una farmacia?” for “Help, where is a pharmacy?”
Quanto Costa
To say “how much is it?” in Italian, you would say “quanto costa?” or “quanto viene?”. The first phrase is more commonly used for asking about the price of an item, while the second phrase is used to ask about the cost of a service or an experience.
Both phrases are widely understood and can be used in a variety of contexts, from shopping at a market to dining at a restaurant.
Lingua Lunga
I’m Alice, founder of Lingua Lunga Italian. Danielle opted for my plan: Italian for Tourism, where I target specific topics to help you get by in the most diverse contexts in Italy like restaurants, bars, museums, shops, public transport, checking in at a hotel, asking for help or directions, and at the pharmacy.
I launched my program in 2022 after teaching students Italian for nearly a decade in over 15 different countries. If you’re interested in learning Italian, book a free discovery call with me!
By mastering the basics of the Italian language, you’ll be able to communicate with locals, understand their customs, and appreciate the of their country. Remember, language learning is a journey, and it takes time and dedication to become fluent. But with the right resources, practice, and mindset, you can achieve your language learning goals and unlock a world of opportunities. So don’t be afraid to start learning your first words in Italian today, and buona fortuna (good luck)!