As one of the Italo-Romance languages, Italian is most closely related to Sardinian, Corsican and the other dialects of the peninsula. It has approximately 63,000,000 speakers. Italian is the official language of Italy, the Vatican City and San Marino, and one of the official languages of Switzerland, where it is used in the cantons of Ticino and Graubünden. It's also spoken by home speakers in Malta, Monaco, Slovenia and Croatia. Although modern standard Italian is used all over Italy, it is very few Italians' first language. Most speak one of the 15 regional dialects as their first language. In a fine display of the power of the pen over the sword, the Tuscan dialect established dominance not because Tuscany was a greater military or financial power than other Italian regions, but because the 3 great writers of the Middle Ages, Dante, Boccaccio and Petrarch, wrote in the Tuscan dialect.
Pronunciation
Vowels
A: as in 'art', e.g caro (dear); sometimes short, e.g. amicola (friend)
E: as in 'tell', e.g mettere (to put)
I: as in 'inn', eg inizio (start)
O: as in 'dot', eg donna (woman); as in 'port', eg dormire (to sleep)
U: as the 'oo' in 'book', eg puro (pure)
Consonants
C: as 'k' before 'a', 'o' and the 'u'; as the 'ch' in 'choose' before 'e' and 'i'
Ch: as the 'k' in 'kit'
G: as the 'g' in 'get' before 'a', 'o', 'u' and 'h'; as the 'j' in 'jet' before 'e' and 'i'
Gli: as the 'lli' in 'million'
Gn: as the 'ny' in 'canyon'
H: always silent
R: a rolled 'rr' sound
Sc: as the 'sh' in 'sheep' before 'e' and 'i'; as 'sk' before 'a', 'o', 'u' and 'h'
Z: as the 'ts' in 'lights', except at the beginning of a word, when it's as the 'ds in 'suds'
Greetings
Hello: Buongiornio
Goodbye: Arrivederci. Ciao. (inf)
Yes: Si
No: No
Please: Per favour
Thank you: Grazie
That's fine/: Prego
You're welcome
Excuse me: Mi scusi
Sorry (forgive me): Mi perdoni
Small talk
What's your name: Come si chiama?
My name is .: Mi chiamo .
Where are you from?: Di dov' è?
I'm from .: Sono di .
I (don't) like: (Non) Mi piace .
Just a minute: Un momento
Signs
Entrance: ingresso/entrata
Exit: uscita
Information: informazione
Open/Closed: aperto/chuiso
Police: polizia
Toilets: gabinetti/bagni
Men: uomini
Women: donne
Paperwork
Name: nome
Nationality: nazionalità
D.O.B: data di nascita
Place of birth: luogo di nascita
Sex (gender): sesso
Passport: passaporto
Visa: visto
Getting around
What time does arrive/leave? .: A che ora parte/arrive .?
The aeroplane: l'aereo
The boat: la barca
The (city) bus: l'autobus
The (intercity) bus: il pullma / la corriera
The train: il treno
Directions
Where is .?: Dov è .?
Go straight ahead: si va sempre diritto
Turn left : giri a sinistra
Turn right: giri a destra
Behind: dietro
In front: davanti
Far: lontano
Near: vicino
Opposite: di fronte a
Around Town
I'm looking for.: cerco .
A bank: un banco
The church: la chiese
The city centre: il centro (città)
The .embassy: l'ambasciata di .
My hotel: il mio albergo
The market: il mercato
The museum: il museo
The post office: la posta
A public toilet: un gambinetto
The telephone centre: il centro telefonica
The tourist office: l'ufficio di turismo
Food Basics
Breakfast: prima colazione
Lunch: pranzo
Dinner: cena
Restaurant: ristorante
Grocery store: un alimentary
Knife: coltello
Fork: forchetta
Spoon: cucchiaio
Menu: menù
Plate: piatto
Butter: burro
Cheese: formaggio
Jam: marmellata
Honey: miele
Oil: olio
Bread: pane
Cream: panna
Salt: sale
Pepper: pepe
Egg/s: uovo/uova
Sugar: zucchero
Carrots: carote
Onion: cipollo
Potatoes: patate
Peppers: peperoni
Peas: piselli
Oranges: arance
Bananas: banane
Strawberries: fragole
Apples: mele
Pears: pere
Peaches: pesche
Time, Date & Numbers
What time is it?: Che ora e/sono?
It's (8 o'clock): Sono (le otto)
In the morning: di mattina
In the afternoon: di pomeriggio
In the evening: di sera
Today: oggi
Tomorrow: domani
Yesterday: ieri
Monday: lunedì
Tuesday: martedì
Wednesday: mercoledì
Thursday: giovedì
Friday: venerdì
Saturday: sabato
Sunday: domenica
Numbers
Zero: zero
One: uno
Two: dyo
Three: tre
Four: quattro
Five: cinque
Six: sei
Seven: sette
Eight: otto
Nine: nove
Ten: dieci
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