Italian All-in-One For Dummies (59 page)

Talkin' the Talk

John wants to buy a scarf for his wife. He asks the sales clerk for help.

John:
Vorrei una sciarpa rossa.

vohr-
ray
ooh
-nah
shahr
-pah
rohs
-sah.

I'd like a red scarf.

Sales clerk:
Ne abbiamo una bellissima, di cachemire.

neh ahb-
byah
-moh
ooh
-nah behl-
lees
-see-mah, dee
kahsh
-meer.

We have a very beautiful cashmere one.

È in saldo.

eh een
sahl-
doh.

It's on sale.

John:
In saldo? Bene! Che sconto c'è?

een
sahl
-doh?
beh
-neh! keh
skohn
-toh
cheh
?

On sale? Great! How much is the discount?

Sales clerk:
Su questo articolo facciamo il 20 per cento. Sa, certi accessori non passano mai di moda.

sooh
kweh
-stoh ahr-
tee
-koh-loh fahch-
chah
-moh eel
vehn
-tee pehr
chen
-toh. sah,
chehr
-tee ahch-chehs-
soh
-ree nohn
pahs
-sah-noh may dee
moh
-dah.

We apply 20 percent discount on this item. You know, accessories like this one are never outdated.

John:
Vediamo . . . con il 20 per cento di sconto la sciarpa verrebbe a costare 180 euro . . . al cambio di 1.30 sono 234 dollari. No, è troppo. Forse devo cambiare articolo.

veh-
dyah
-moh . . . kohn eel
vehn
-tee pehr
chehn
-toh dee
skohn
-toh lah
shahr
-pah vehr-
rehb
-beh ah koh-
stah
-reh chen-toht-
tahn
-tah
eh
-ooh-roh . . . ahl
kahm
-byoh dee
ooh
-noh eh
trehn
-tah
soh
-noh dooh-eh-
chehn
-toh-trehn-tah-
kwaht
-troh dohl-lah-ree. noh,
eh
trohp
-poh.
fohr
-seh
deh
-voh kahm-
byah
-reh ahr-
tee
-koh-loh.

Let's see . . . after a discount of 20 percent, this scarf would cost 180 euros . . . at the conversion rate of 1.30, it is 234 dollars. No, it is too much. Maybe I have to find something else.

Sales clerk:
Allora guardi questi guanti. Su questi le posso fare un prezzo veramente speciale.

ahl-
loh
-rah
gwahr
-dee
kweh
-stee
gwahn
-tee. sooh
kweh
-stee leh
pohs
-soh
fah
-reh oohn
preht
-tsoh veh-rah-
mehn
-teh speh-
chah
-leh.

Then look at these gloves. They have a very special price.

John:
Quanto speciale?

kwahn
-toh speh-
chah
-leh?

How special?

Sales clerk:
Li diamo al 50 per cento. Il colore è molto particolare, ma se piace, fa un affarone. Sono suoi per 45 euro.

lee
dyah
-moh ahl cheen-
kwahn
-tah pehr
chehn
-toh. eel koh-
loh
-reh
eh mohl
-toh pahr-tee-koh-
lah
-reh, mah seh
pyah
-cheh, fah oohn ahf-fah-
roh
-neh.
soh
-noh swohy pehr kwah-rahn-tah-
cheen
-kweh
eh
-ooh-roh.

We let them go [we sell them] with a discount of 50 percent on the original price. The color is very particular, but if you like it, it's an incredible deal. You can have them for 45 euros.

John:
Meno di 60 dollari per guanti in pelle “made in Italy” . . . li prendo. Il viola è il colore preferito da mia moglie! Mi faccia un pacchetto regalo, per favore.

meh
-noh dee sehs-
sahn
-tah
dohl
-lah-ree pehr
gwahn
-tee een
pehl
-leh “made in Italy” . . . lee
prehn
-doh. eel vee-
oh
-lah
eh
eel koh-
loh
-reh preh-feh-
ree
-toh dah myah
moh
-lyeh! mee
fahch
-chah oohn pahk-
keht
-toh reh-
gah
-loh, pehr fah-
voh
-reh.

Less than 60 dollars for leather gloves made in Italy . . . I'll take them. Purple is my wife's favorite color! Can they be gift-wrapped, please?

Sales clerk:
Certo, non si preoccupi. Farà una bellissima figura.

cehr
-toh, nohn see preh-
ohk
-kooh-pee. fah-
rah ooh
-nah behl-
lees
-see-mah fee-
gooh
-rah.

Sure, don't worry. You will make an incredible impression.

 

Book II

Exploring and Wandering About

Text like an Italian — and be able to understand text messages you receive in Italian — by checking out the free article on common text abbreviations at
www.dummies.com/extras/italianaio
.

Contents at a Glance

Chapter 1: Where Is the Colosseum? Asking Directions

Chapter 2: Having Fun Out on the Town

Chapter 3: Exploring the Outdoors, Sports, and Hobbies

Chapter 4: Planning a Trip

Chapter 5: Money, Money, Money

Chapter 6: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and Buses

Chapter 7: Finding a Place to Stay

Chapter 8: Handling Emergencies

Chapter 1

Where Is the Colosseum? Asking Directions

In This Chapter

Understanding directions

Discovering Italian attractions

H
ave you ever been lost in a foreign city or country? If so, you realize how helpful it is to know enough of the native language to be able to ask for directions. Knowing the language also enables you to understand the answer. In this chapter, you find some helpful conversational tips that make finding your way around easier.

Finding Your Way: Asking for Specific Places

When asking for directions, it's always polite to start your question with one of the following expressions (which are friendly forms of the imperative mood or command tense). The expression you use depends on who (and how many people) you're talking to.

Mi scusi
(mee
skooh
-zee) or
Scusi
(
skooh-
zee). (
Excuse me
[singular, formal]). You use this form when addressing someone formally, as in
Sir, Madam, Doctor, Professor
, and so forth

Mi scusino.
(mee
skooh
-zee-noh.) (
Excuse me
[plural, formal]). You use this form when addressing a group formally, such as
gentlemen, ladies, doctors, professors,
and so on.

Scusa.
(
skooh
-zah.)
(
Excuse me
[singular, informal].) You use this form when addressing a family member or a close friend.

Scusate.
(skooh-
zah
-teh.) (
Excuse me
[plural, informal].) You use this form when addressing a group of family members or close friends.

Per favore.
(pehr fah-
voh
-reh.) (
Please
.)

Un'informazione.
(oohn een-fohr-mah-
tsyoh
-neh.) (
I need some information.
)

Then you can continue with your questions, which may resemble the following:

Dov'è il Colosseo?
(doh-
veh
eel koh-lohs-
seh
-oh?) (
Where is the Colosseum?
)

È questa via Garibaldi?
(eh
kweh
-stah
vee
-ah gah-ree-
bahl
-dee?) (
Is this via Garibaldi?
)

Per la stazione?
(pehr lah stah-
tsyoh
-neh?) (
How do I get to the station?
)

Può indicarmi la strada per il centro?
(pwoh een-dee-
kahr
-mee lah
strah
-dah pehr eel
chehn
-troh?) (
Can you show me the way downtown?
)

Dove siamo adesso?
(
doh
-veh
syah
-moh ah-
dehs
-soh?) (
Where are we now?
)

Mi sono perso. Dov'è il duomo?
(mee
soh
-noh
pehr
-soh. doh-
veh
eel
dwoh
-moh?) (
I'm lost. Where is the cathedral?
)

È qui vicino la Fontana di Trevi?
(eh kwee vee-
chee-
noh lah fohn-
tah
-nah dee
treh
-vee?) (
Is the Fountain of Trevi nearby?
)

Some possible answers, not in any particular order (mix and match according to the context!), to the preceding questions are

Sì, è proprio qui vicino!
(see, eh
proh
-pryoh kwee vee-
chee-
noh!) (
Yes, it is very close!
)

Segua la strada principale fino al centro.
(
seh
-gwah lah
strah
-dah preen-chee-
pah
-leh
fee
-noh ahl
chehn
-troh.) (
Follow the main street to the center of the city.
)

Vada sempre dritto.
(
vah
-dah
sehm
-preh
dreet
-toh.) (
Go straight ahead.
)

Dopo il semaforo, giri a destra.
(
doh
-poh eel seh-
mah
-foh-roh,
jee
-ree ah
dehs
-trah.) (
After the traffic light, turn right.
)

È in fondo a sinistra.
(
eh
een
fohn
-doh ah see-
nees
-trah.) (
It's at the end, on the left side.
)

È vicino alla posta.
(
eh
vee-
chee
-noh
ahl
-lah
pohs
-tah.) (
It's next to the post office.
)

Attraversi il ponte, poi c'è una piazza e lì la vede.
(aht-trah-
vehr
-see eel
pohn
-teh, pohy cheh
ooh
-nah
pyahts
-tsah eh lee lah
veh
-deh.) (
Cross the bridge, then there's a square and there you see it.
)

È la terza strada a sinistra.
(
eh
lah
tehr
-tsah
strah
-dah ah see-
nees
-trah.) (
It's the third street on the left.
)

È dopo il terzo semaforo, a destra.
(
eh
doh
-poh eel
tehr-
tsoh seh-
mah
-foh-roh, ah
dehs
-trah.) (
It's after the third light, on the right.
)

Ha sbagliato strada.
(ah sbah-
lyah
-toh
strah
-dah.) (
You're on the wrong road.
)

Mapping the quarters and following directions

Four orientations you already know are the cardinal points of the compass: north, south, east, and west. The four directions are especially helpful to know when you use a map. The following are
i quattro punti cardinali
(ee
kwaht
-troh
poohn
-tee kahr-dee-
nah
-lee) (
the four cardinal points
):

nord
(nohrd) (
north
)

sud
(soohd) (
south
)

est
(ehst) (
east
)

ovest
(
oh
-vehst) (
west
)

You may hear the directions used in sentences like the following:

Trieste è a nord-est.
(
tryeh
-steh eh ah nohrd-
ehst.
) (
Trieste is to the ­northeast.
)

Napoli è a sud.
(
nah
-poh-lee eh ah soohd.) (
Naples is to the south.
)

Roma è a ovest.
(
roh
-mah eh ah
oh
-vehst.) (
Rome is to the west.
)

Bari è a sud-est.
(
bah
-ree eh ah soohd-
ehst.
) (
Bari is to the southeast.
)

Some lovely city centers, such as the ones in Verona and Ravenna, are closed off to traffic, so you really need to explore them by foot. You need to know how to orient yourself in relation to people and buildings when following or giving directions. Italians also frequently use meters to describe distances on foot:

davanti a
(dah-
vahn
-tee ah) (
in front of
)