Basic phrases for learners: Basic Phrases

🇮🇹 Use this with strangers, staff, or older people, but many Italians would more often ask [Parli inglese?] to one person. [Parla inglese?] sounds polite and slightly more formal.

💬 [L'] in [l'italiano] is just [lo] shortened before a vowel. You'll see the same thing in [l'inglese] and [l'amico].

💬 [Sto] + a verb ending in [-ando] or [-endo] is a handy way to say what you're in the middle of doing: [sto imparando], [sto cercando], [sto aspettando].

🇮🇹 On its own, [Ripeti] is a direct command and can sound abrupt with strangers. In real situations, [Puoi ripetere?] or [Può ripetere?] usually lands better.

💬 [Puoi] is the informal "you can," used with [tu]. Swap it to [può] for polite/formal speech: [Può ripetere?].

🇮🇹 Good for friends, classmates, or younger people in casual settings. With strangers or staff, [Può ripetere?] is usually the safer choice.

🇮🇹 This is understandable, but as a direct command it can sound blunt with people you don't know. A softer option is [Può parlare lentamente?] or [Parli lentamente, per favore].