Basic Italian Phrases Every Traveler Should Know

Italian Basic Phrases For Travelers

BABY STEPS

1.PRONUNCIATION 

How to Pronounce Vowels

a as in "father"

e as in "set", but more closed

i as in "machine"

o as in "close", but undiphthongized

u like 'oo' in "hoop"

DIPHTHONGS

ai like 'i' in "fight"

au like 'ow' in "brown"

ei like 'ay' in "say"

eu doesn't exist in English, run 'e' and 'u' together

ia like "ya" in "yard"

ie like 'ye' in "yes"

ii not a diphthong but two syllables

io like "yo" in "Yorick"

iu like "ew" in "few"

oi like 'oy' in "boy"

CONSONANTS

b like 'b' in "bed"

c like 'ch' in "chipper", 'k' in "kid"

d like 'd' in "dog"

f like 'ph' in "phone"

g like 'g' in "go", like 'j' in "jello"

h silent

l like 'l' in "love"

m like 'm' in "mother"

n like 'n' in "nice"

p like 'p' in "pig"

q like 'q' in "quest" (with "u", almost always)

r trill with the tip of the tongue

s like 'ss' in "hiss", like 'z' in "haze"

t like 't' in "top"

v like 'v' in "victory"

x like 'cks' in "kicks"

z as in "pizza" or "adze"

DIGRAPHS

ch like 'k' in "keep"

sc before "e" or "i", like 'sh' in "sheep"

gh like "g" in "get"

SAYING NUMBERS

1 uno

2 due

3 tre

4 quattro

5 cinque

6 sei

7 sette

8 otto

9 nove

10 dieci

11 undici

12 dodici

13 tredici

14 quattordici

15 quindici

16 sedici

17 diciassette

18 diciotto

19 diciannove

20 venti

21 ventuno

22 ventidue

23 ventitré