I am going to give you a few practical phrases that you could find helpful while hiking and cycling in Italy. Sightseeing might demand some specific phrases such as, "where does the line for the museum start?" On a cycling tour you might need something more specific like ha visto passare i miei amici in bici? (have you seen my cycling buddies go by?)
In my last blog about Italian language I talked about the cultural context. As you can imagine, there are possible pitfalls of misinterpreting the context for a foreign language learner. Should that stop you from trying? Absolutely not!
In few other places in the world is a foreigner allowed to try and fail like in Italy.
In this article my goal is to give you a handful of sentences that you can practice and memorize. But wait, there’s more. You can even download a printable cheat sheet that you can laminate and take with you, or that you can tattoo on your forearm (check with your spouse and kids first). Should you not be able to explain yourself, take it out and point at the phrase. An Italian will understand and help you (expect lots of emphasis and hand gestures on his/her part).
At the end of the article you will find a selection of Italian language podcasts and YouTube Italian language channels.
Learning some simple phrases for an Italian active vacation is possible. Shall we start?
I’m lost. Where am I?
Mi sono perso. Dove sono?
Feminine: Mi sono persa. Dove sono?I need to contact my hotel.
Devo contattare il mio hotel.I am hungry. Is there a restaurant?
Ho fame. C’è un ristorante?I am thirsty. Is there a fountain?
Ho sete. C’è una fontana?A strong espresso for my team.
Un espresso forte per la mia squadra.Can I please have a sandwich?
Posso avere un panino per favore?Can I please have some water?
Posso avere dell’acqua per favore?How long to the summit?
Quanto manca alla cima?This climb is hard!
Questa salita è dura!I'm very tired.
Sono molto stanco.
Feminine: Sono molto stanca.I’m on vacation. I am American.
Sono in vacanza. Sono Americano.
Feminine: Sono in vacanza. Sono Americana.Wait here a moment.
Aspettate un momento.I do not know how to thank you.
Non so come ringraziarvi.
There you have it. Here are the best Italian language podcasts that we have found.
News in Slow Italian
The weekly News in Slow episodes can prove useful for learners of all levels. Not only is the delivery perfectly timed (it’s slow, but not too slow) but being current news, chances are you’ll at least have an idea of what they’re talking about. Listening to news in a foreign language is great for increasing your vocabulary on current topics, which comes in handy if you’ll be chatting to some natives soon. All levels.
30 Minute Italian
Cher Hale presents 10-30 minute episodes that are great for learning and reviewing vocabulary and expressions. Most importantly there are tons of tips and advice Cher gives you for keeping up with the learning. The pronunciation might be limited by the fact that Cher is not a native Italian speaker, although she is a passionate fan of anything Italian. Short notes are also available, especially for the topics you are most interested in. All levels.
Learn Italian Podcast
is a collection of stories about specific Italian words. Introduced by a summary and explanation in English, the stories are read in Italian. Although the reader maintains a slow reading pace, I find the content closer to an advanced level than intermediate.
Italian Pod 101
It offers practical lessons of 5-15 minutes on Italian expressions, traditions, grammar, vocabulary and much more. The episodes are short, therefore suitable for those who might have little time or even a short attention span. Instructions are provided in English, which is fantastic for beginners. The other great thing is that Italian words are pronounced by native Italian speakers. All levels.
Lucrezia on Youtube
A daily dose of Italian for all levels.
