Learn Italian by speaking it

Your first Italian phrases

From section 1, First Steps. Every phrase in the course comes with a tip like these.

• 👋
  Ciao Hello

  Ciao works for both hello and goodbye, but only with people you call tu.

• ☀️
  Buongiorno Good morning

  One word, from buon plus giorno; it stays polite until mid-afternoon.

• ☕️
  Un caffè, per favore A coffee, please

  Caffè is masculine, so un; the accent means you stress the last syllable.

• 🪑
  Un tavolo per due A table for two

  Tavolo is the piece of furniture; tavola is the set table you eat at.

• 🚉
  Dov'è la stazione? Where is the station?

  Dov'è is dove and è squeezed together with an apostrophe.

• ⬅️
  Giri a sinistra Turn left

  Giri is the Lei command; a friend gets gira a sinistra.

• 🔢
  Uno, due, tre One, two, three

  Uno becomes un before a masculine noun: un caffè.

• ✋
  Quattro e cinque Four and five

  E means and; the double t in quattro is really held.

• 🔢
  Ventuno, ventidue, ventitré Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three

  Venti drops its final i before uno and otto: ventuno, ventotto.

• 💶
  Sono quaranta euro That will be forty euros

  Euro never adds an s in Italian: quaranta euro.

The Italian course, section by section

Each section has five units of five lessons, a review and a grammar guidebook.

1. A1 Section 1: First StepsSay hello, order, count and find your way

   First Words

   Say hello and introduce yourself

   Greetings · Introductions · Politeness · Getting Help · Small Talk

   “Ciao”

   Food & Drinks

   Order like a local

   At the Café · Ordering Food · Tastes · Drinks · The Bill

   “Un caffè, per favore”

   Getting Around

   Find your way in a new city

   Asking the Way · Taking a Taxi · Public Transport · At the Hotel · Sightseeing

   “Dov'è la stazione?”

   Numbers & Money

   Count, pay and tell the time

   Counting · Prices · Time · Days · At the Bank

   “Uno, due, tre”

   The Calendar

   Bigger numbers, months and dates

   Bigger Numbers · Months · Dates · Picking a Day · How Long

   “Ventuno, ventidue, ventitré”

   Guidebook: 15 grammar notes

   • Essere and stare. Essere (sono) says who you are and where you come from. Stare (sto, stai) says how you are right now, so it is sto bene, never sono bene.
   • Tu and Lei. With friends use the tu forms: come stai, scusa, parli. With staff, officials and strangers switch to the Lei forms: come sta, scusi, parla.
   • Mi chiamo. Mi chiamo is literally I call myself. Ask back with come ti chiami, or come si chiama with a stranger.
   • Il, la, un, una. Every noun is masculine or feminine. Masculine takes il or un, feminine la or una. Before s plus consonant or z you get lo and uno instead.
2. A1 Section 2: Everyday LifeShops, health, family, food and your routine

   Shopping

   Buy what you need

   At the Shop · Sizes & Colors · At the Market · Pharmacy · Returns

   “Sto solo guardando”

   Health & Safety

   Get help when you need it

   How You Feel · At the Doctor · Emergencies · The Body · Staying Safe

   “Non mi sento bene”

   Family & Friends

   Talk about the people in your life

   My Family · Friends · About You · Describing People · Invitations

   “Questa è mia madre”

   Daily Life

   Your day from morning to night

   Morning · At Work · Evening · Free Time · Chores

   “Mi sveglio alle sette”

   Food & Cooking

   Groceries, the kitchen and eating at home

   At the Supermarket · Fruit & Vegetables · In the Fridge · Simple Cooking · Eating at Home

   “Dov'è il pane?”

   Guidebook: 15 grammar notes

   • Lo, la, li, le. A short pronoun replaces the thing you are talking about and normally goes before the verb: lo prendo, lo avete in blu.
   • Pronouns on the end. With an infinitive the pronoun sticks onto the verb instead, and the final -e drops: provare plus lo becomes provarlo.
   • Troppo and più. Troppo means too much, più means more. Italian has no -er ending, so bigger is simply più grande.
   • Ho mal di…. Aches and illnesses use avere plus the article: ho mal di testa, ho la febbre. You have the illness rather than being it.
3. A2 Section 3: Making PlansWeather, feelings, home, clothes and your phone

   Weather & Plans

   Talk about today and tomorrow

   Weather · Seasons · Making Plans · Trips · Changing Plans

   “Oggi c'è il sole”

   Feelings & Opinions

   Say what you think and feel

   Feelings · Opinions · Likes & Dislikes · Compliments · Wishes

   “Sono felice”

   Home & Living

   Your place and the people around it

   My Home · Renting · Problems at Home · Neighbors · Guests

   “Abito in un appartamento”

   Phone & Internet

   Calls, messages and Wi-Fi

   Phone Calls · Messages · Wi-Fi & Data · Apps & Photos · Tech Problems

   “Ti posso chiamare più tardi?”

   What to Wear

   Clothes, the weather and your own style

   Getting Dressed · Dressing for the Weather · What Suits You · Looking After Clothes · Style & Taste

   “Mi sto vestendo”

   Guidebook: 15 grammar notes

   • Weather with fare and c'è. Italian uses fare for temperature (fa freddo, fa caldo) and c'è for what is in the sky (c'è il sole, c'è vento).
   • The present for plans. A plain present tense covers the near future: partiamo sabato, torno lunedì. The day on its own means the coming one.
   • In for countries. Countries take in with no article: vado in Italia. Cities take a instead: vado a Roma.
   • Ho ragione, ho vent'anni. Italian often uses avere where English uses to be: hai ragione is you are right, ho freddo is I am cold.
4. A2 Section 4: Out & AboutTravel, driving, hobbies and celebrations

   Travel

   From the airport to the road

   Check-in · Security · On the Plane · Arrival · Renting a Car

   “Ecco il mio passaporto”

   Around Town

   Errands and everyday services

   Post Office · Hair Salon · Gym & Pool · Library · Laundry & Repairs

   “Vorrei spedire un pacco”

   Sports & Hobbies

   What you do for fun

   Sports · Music & Movies · Books & Games · Outdoors · Hobbies at Home

   “Fai qualche sport?”

   Celebrations

   Parties, gifts and holidays

   Parties · Gifts · Holidays · Weddings & Babies · Traditions

   “Sei invitato”

   On the Road

   Driving, parking and getting around on two wheels

   Driving · Parking · At the Gas Station · Problems on the Road · Walking & Cycling

   “Mi puoi accompagnare a casa?”

   Guidebook: 15 grammar notes

   • Si può, ci si veste. Si plus a verb makes an impersonal one: si può portare is may one take it, come ci si veste is how does one dress.
   • Agreement with essere. Verbs that build their past with essere make the participle agree with the subject: la valigia non è arrivata, mi sono persa.
   • Vorrei at a counter. Vorrei is the conditional of voglio and the standard polite opening at any desk, shop or salon.
   • Ci vuole. Ci vuole says how much time or stuff is needed. Use ci vogliono when the amount is plural.
5. A2 Section 5: Time TravelWork, the past, the future and real talk

   Work & Study

   At the office and in class

   My Job · At the Office · Meetings · At School · Applying for a Job

   “Che lavoro fai?”

   Talking About the Past

   Yesterday, last weekend and long ago

   Yesterday · Last Weekend · Childhood · Experiences · Telling a Story

   “Che hai fatto ieri?”

   Future & Goals

   Plans, dreams and promises

   Tomorrow · Goals · Dreams · Promises & Offers · Predictions

   “Domani lavoro da casa”

   Real Conversations

   Keep a chat going like a native

   Keeping It Going · Reacting · Asking Nicely · Disagreeing Politely · Saying Goodbye

   “Come va?”

   Making Friends

   How you met, staying in touch and saying yes or no

   How We Met · Keeping in Touch · Inviting · Saying Yes or No · Getting Closer

   “Ci siamo conosciuti tramite un amico”

   Guidebook: 16 grammar notes

   • Che lavoro fai?. Italians ask and answer about jobs with fare: che lavoro fai, faccio il designer, volevo fare il pilota.
   • The future tense. Add -ò, -ai, -à to the stem: sarò, leggerò, pioverà. When a plan is already fixed, the plain present is enough.
   • Asking with the present. A plain present question is already a polite request: mi mandi il file, mi presti una penna.
   • Passato prossimo. The everyday past is avere or essere plus a participle: ho dormito, sono andato. Verbs of motion and reflexive verbs take essere.
6. B1 Section 6: Connecting IdeasLonger sentences with because, but and so

   Because & But

   Give reasons and contrasts

   Giving Reasons · Contrasts · Consequences · In Order · Adding Ideas

   “Sono in ritardo per il traffico”

   Describing Places

   Say what a place is like

   My Neighborhood · In the City · In Nature · Inside a Place · First Impressions

   “Abito in un quartiere tranquillo”

   Step by Step

   Explain how to do something

   In the Kitchen · Following a Recipe · How It Works · Detailed Directions · Rules & Signs

   “Mi passi il coltello?”

   Comparing & Choosing

   Say which one and why

   Better or Worse · The Best of All · Which One? · Price & Quality · Making a Decision

   “Questo è meglio di quello”

   Giving Advice

   Should, could and if I were you

   Asking for Advice · Suggestions · Warnings · Encouragement · Health Advice

   “Tu cosa faresti al posto mio?”

   Guidebook: 18 grammar notes

   • Perché and per. Perché is followed by a whole sentence, per by a noun. The same perché opens a question and means why.
   • Anche se and però. Anche se takes the plain indicative; the bookish sebbene means the same but demands the congiuntivo. Però drops the contrast in mid sentence.
   • Quindi, così, perciò. All three introduce the result: quindi is neutral, così lighter, perciò the firmest. Ecco perché points back at the reason instead.
   • Where anche goes. Anche always sits right before the word it adds and never at the end: e anche francese, possiamo anche mangiare lì, ho anche fame.
7. B1 Section 7: Handling SituationsProblems, interviews, money and paperwork

   Complaints & Problems

   Say what went wrong, politely

   At the Hotel · At the Restaurant · Faulty Products · Late & Lost · Getting It Fixed

   “Mi scusi, c'è un problema con la mia camera”

   Job Interview

   Talk about yourself with confidence

   About Yourself · Strengths & Weaknesses · Your Experience · Questions to Ask · Salary & Start Date

   “Grazie per avermi invitato al colloquio”

   Money Matters

   Accounts, bills and transfers

   Opening an Account · Paying Bills · Sending Money · Budgeting · Fees & Insurance

   “Vorrei aprire un conto corrente”

   Paperwork

   Appointments, forms and documents

   Making an Appointment · Filling In Forms · At the Office · Documents · Deadlines & Renewals

   “Vorrei prendere un appuntamento, per favore”

   Living Abroad

   Settle in a new country

   Finding an Apartment · Utilities & Repairs · Meeting Locals · Settling In · Local Customs

   “La cauzione è di uno o due mesi?”

   Guidebook: 17 grammar notes

   • Potrebbe and vorrei. Complaints stay polite through the Lei form and the conditional: potrebbe spostarmi, vorrei il rimborso. Potresti would sound far too matey with staff.
   • Voi for a company. One clerk is Lei, but a whole firm or a counter with several staff is voi: nel vostro sistema, potreste mandarmi.
   • Mancare and bastare. These verbs run backwards like piacere: the missing or sufficient thing is the subject. Manca un pezzo, basta una copia, mi manca la famiglia.
   • Mi sembra che. Verbs of impression take che plus the congiuntivo: mi sembra che ci sia un errore. Only what you state as fact keeps the indicative.
8. B2 Section 8: Speak Your MindOpinions, stories, what-ifs and idioms

   Debating Opinions

   Argue your point and listen

   Strong Opinions · Both Sides · Persuading · Doubts · Changing Your Mind

   “Secondo me questo non è l'approccio giusto”

   Telling Stories

   Make people listen

   Setting the Scene · What Happened Next · Surprises & Twists · Feelings in the Story · The Moral

   “È successo un paio d'anni fa”

   News & Society

   Talk about the world

   In the News · The Environment · Technology & Us · Work & Life Balance · Traditions & Change

   “Hai saputo cos'è successo in centro?”

   What If

   Imagine, regret and wish

   If I Had Time · Imagining · Regrets · Wishes · Plan B

   “Se domani ho tempo, ti chiamo”

   Idioms & Expressions

   Sound like a native

   Everyday Idioms · Feelings in Idioms · Casual Talk · Being Funny · Sounding Natural

   “Costa un occhio della testa”

   Guidebook: 17 grammar notes

   • Opinions and the congiuntivo. Che after an opinion or a hope pulls in the congiuntivo: immagino che si possa, spero che vada. Secondo me and per me need no che at all.
   • Pensarla and vederla. A few verbs carry a la that stands for nothing nameable: la penso come te, dipende da come la vedi, prova a vederla così.
   • Ci for about it. Ci replaces a plus a thing or an idea: ci ho ripensato, non ci avevo pensato, dovrei vederlo per crederci.
   • The two pasts in a story. The imperfect paints the background — tornavo a casa, era tardi — and the passato prossimo brings in the events that cut across it.

Speak Italian with an AI partner

The same 385 scenarios work in Italian. Your partner answers in Italian, rates each message Perfect, Good or Revision needed, and every scenario has goals to tick off. A few to start with:

18 Italian stories, read aloud

Short stories at A1, A2 and B1, each read by one of the characters, with questions at the end.

Mia è alla stazione. Mia is at the station.

Sono le otto di mattina. It is eight in the morning.

From “Il treno in ritardo”