Planning a trip to Italy? While many locals in tourist areas speak some English, knowing a few basic Italian phrases for tourists can make your adventure go smoothly. 

Inspired by Coffee Break Italian Lesson 17, this blog post provides some essential vocabulary for souvenir hunting! Don’t forget to listen to the podcast below to discover how to pronounce some of the new words and review some key concepts!

Basic greetings and politeness 

As you already know, saying hello in Italian when entering a store is polite and expected, setting a positive tone. A casual buongiorno good morning or ciao is fine in smaller shops, and arrivederci is always polite when leaving.

Remember to say grazie after any interaction; you’ll likely hear prego. Scusi, excuse me, is useful for getting a shop assistant’s attention, and per favore, please, is essential when making a request. This is definitely a useful list of basic Italian phrases for tourists. 

Finding the perfect souvenir

As you know, there are some essential Italian phrases for shopping which you can use for browsing for souvenirs. If you have something specific in mind, you can use: 

• Sto cercando… I’m looking for…
• Sto cercando un souvenir di Roma. I’m looking for a Rome souvenir.

Another form of finding the perfect souvenir is asking if the shop has a particular item in stock. To do that, you use the verb avete followed by the item you are searching for:

• Avete delle calamite? Do you have magnets?

Once you’ve spotted something you like, you can use these Italian phrases for tourists to help you express your preferences:

• Mi piace… I like… (singular)
  • Mi piace questa maschera veneziana. I like this Venetian mask.
• Mi piacciono… I like… (plural)
  • Mi piacciono queste miniature. I like these miniatures.
• È bello/a. It’s beautiful.

Vocabulary for souvenirs in Italian 

From charming ceramics to exquisite glassware, Italy offers several different options of souvenirs. To make your shopping experience even more rewarding, familiarising yourself with the Italian names for these souvenirs will allow you to communicate more effectively with vendors:

• una cartolina a postcard
• un francobollo a stamp
• una calamita a magnet
• vetro di Murano Murano glass
• una maschera veneziana a Venetian mask
• un portachiavi a keychain
• un prodotto tipico a typical product
• del vino some wine
• dell’olio d’oliva some olive oil

Asking about prices and making a purchase

Price is an important factor when shopping for souvenirs. Use these phrases to inquire and make a purchase:

• Quanto costa? How much does it cost? (singular)
  • Quanto costa questo portachiavi? How much does this keychain cost?
• Quanto costano? How much do they cost? (plural)
  • Quanto costano questi bicchieri di Murano? How much do these Murano glasses cost?
• C’è uno sconto? Is there a discount?

By learning these Italian phrases for tourists, you will be able to buy your souvenirs with no hassle. Moreover, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate Italian markets and shops and find the perfect memorabilia. A little effort to speak the language goes a long way and can lead to more rewarding and memorable travel experiences.

But what if you find yourself lost in Italy? Would you be able to ask where your hotel is and understand the directions to it? If you are not so sure, read the article we prepared to help you understand how to say where a place is in Italian!