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Basic Italian

charliegirl007

2007-01-24 08:29:03

Hi there. I am going to Rome next week and need alittle help with basic Italian to get me started. How do you say

hello
Please
1
2
3
black coffee
how much?

and any other words you may feel will come in useful

grazzi

Judith

2007-01-24 12:16:23

Hello - Salve (pronunciation) salvay
Please - per favore(ay)
One- uno (oono)
Two-due (dooay)
Three- Tre (Tray)
Coffee - Cafe (Kafay) conleche(conlechay) with milk
How much? - Quanto (Kwonto)

I only speak a minimum and my pronunciations are a bit rusty, but these words should get you by.

Try http://www.smartphrase.com for more simple words and phrases

CiderMonster

2007-01-24 17:44:16

I have to admit to never hearing an italian use that Salve word???

Most will either use:

Ciao - for hello & goodbye
Arrivederci - goodbye

or

Buon Giorno - Good Morning
Buona Sera - Good Afternoon/Evening
Buona Notte - Goodnight

To be honest though, Ciao was always the most common! I've forgotten most of my basic italian now though, rusty through lack of use!!

Judith

2007-01-24 22:38:24

Thanks Cider Monster, I thought I had posted ciao. My Italian class notes(from many years ago) say Salve -expression of greeting, perhaps it's not used any more. I always use Buon Giorno/Buona Sera depending on what time of day it is. I remember years ago ciao seemed to be only used for goodbye but now its used for both hello and goodbye.

Alsacienne

2007-01-25 10:28:08

Sorry Judith - con leche is Spanish! You need to ask for cafe con LATTE (cafay con laa-tay) and of course you probably already know CAPPUCINO, CAFE LATTE etc from the various chains of coffee shops in the UK!

For goodbye you can also say CIAO (chow)! and you will hear lots of PREGO (pray-go) which means you're welcome after you say GRAZIE (Graa-ts-i-ay).

*Edit. The word filter has edited out the word c o n :wink:

Pippy*

Judith

2007-01-25 14:04:08

Shows I just came back from Spain. I think I will keep to German translations from now on.

CiderMonster

2007-01-25 17:16:12

Ah, Prego .... one of my favourite italian words! :lol:

sparkette

2007-01-26 14:40:12

"Salve" is very colloquial, and quite frequently used in some parts of Italy, though maybe not all... I spent a year in Bologna and heard it used there all the time. "ciao" is probably the safest bet though

Alsacienne

2007-01-26 21:11:47

Oh and 'black coffee' can be either Cafe Solo (kafay so-low) or Cafe senza latte (kafay sen-za laa- tay). Most of the time this will get you an espresso so if you want a big black coffee, try UNO CAFE GRANDE SENZA LATTE!

charliegirl007

2007-01-29 08:27:50

Thanks for all that. I will be practising next weekend in Rome

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