Polite Phrases in Italian
Italian politeness leans on a few words used often. Two of them, prego and permesso, have no clean English equivalent, so each is explained below.
Please and thank you
-
per favore
pehr fah-VOH-reh
-
please
-
per piacere
pehr pyah-CHEH-reh
-
please
Interchangeable with per favore
-
grazie
GRAH-tsyeh
-
thank you
-
grazie mille
GRAH-tsyeh MEEL-leh
-
thanks a thousand
-
prego
PREH-goh
-
you're welcome
-
di niente
dee NYEN-teh
-
it's nothing
Excusing yourself and apologising
-
scusi
SKOO-zee
-
excuse me
Formal. Use this with a stranger
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scusa
SKOO-zah
-
sorry, excuse me
Informal, to a friend
-
mi dispiace
mee dees-PYAH-cheh
-
I am sorry
For something that actually matters
-
permesso
pehr-MES-soh
-
may I come through
Said before squeezing past, or entering a home
Phrases for the moment
-
salute
sah-LOO-teh
-
bless you
After a sneeze. It means health
-
cin cin
chin chin
-
cheers
-
buon appetito
bwon ap-peh-TEE-toh
-
enjoy your meal
Said before eating, and expected
-
auguri
ow-GOO-ree
-
best wishes
Birthdays, weddings, anything worth celebrating
-
in bocca al lupo
een BOK-kah al LOO-poh
-
good luck
Literally into the wolf's mouth. Answer: crepi
-
buon viaggio
bwon VYAD-joh
-
have a good trip
Prego, permesso, and the wolf
Prego answers grazie, but it also means go ahead, here you are, and how can I help. If someone says it to you as you walk into a shop, they are asking what you need.
Permesso is said when you need to pass someone in a crowd, and again when you step into someone's home. There is no English equivalent, and skipping it is noticed.
Buona fortuna exists but sounds oddly literal. Italians say in bocca al lupo, into the wolf's mouth, and the expected reply is crepi, may it die. Saying grazie back is considered bad luck.
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