Italian Language Tips: Lesson 2

Lesson 2 of my Italian Language Tips! :)

You will use these phrases when introducing yourself or others. There are some phrases I really don’t ever use when I speak. I will make a note of them but understand that I am not saying they are wrong to say, it is just how I speak. When learning a language, there is no right or way to express yourself. Italian has certain rules in which you learn, but when you go out in the world and speak to people, you adapt certain phrases and you create your own style of speaking. I, personally, still am learning the language everyday. How to pronounce words the right way, accenting the right syllable and being told the correct article to use with the noun. These things all come in time. When you can confidently communicate with another Italian, that will be a day you will know you have reached the peak. Then starts the real work, improving. Keep you chin up, know that learning a language isn’t a constant climb up the mountain. There are still days when I feel I have lost all of my Italian. Just keep at it, stick with speaking to Italians. Veer from English speakers when you are immersed in a city. It will do wonders for your understanding, listening and communicating. Have Fun!

Italian Language Tips: Lesson 1 has been a success, so I am continuing onto lesson 2: Introductions

Come si chiama?–(koh-may see key-ah-mah)–What is your name? –This is a formal way to ask somebody’s name.

Come ti chiami?–(koh-may tee key-ah-mah)–What is your name?–Informal way to ask somebody’s name.

Mi chiamo…–(mee-key-ah-moh)–My name is…–I rarely respond with this, but it is used.

Sono Alessio. Sono un cantante.

Sono Kate.–(soh-noh-Kate)–I am Kate.–Here is how I respond.

Sono americana(o), inglese, australiana(o), canadese–(soh-noh-ah-meh-ree-kah-nah(noh), een-glay-seh, ah-oos-trah-lee-ah-nah(noh), kah-nah-day-seh)–Use an [a] at the end of your nationality if you are female, an [o] at the end is you are male.

Come sta?–(koh-may stah)–How are you?(formal)–Personally, I have never used this form, but I have heard people use this.

Come stai?–(koh-may st-eye)–How are you?(informal or formal)–I choose this one as my more formal greeting of ‘How are you’. But really using ’sta or stai’ can be considered formal.

Come va?–(koh-may VAH)–How’s it going?(informal)–I only use with friends, this can also be considered for us Americans as ‘What’s up?’

Come stai gatto?

Sto bene–(stoh-behn-ay)–I am good–Nothing to add here. Pretty self-explanatory.

Bene, grazie. E tu? E Lei?–(beh-nay grah-stee-eh. Ay two? Ay leh-ee)–Good, Thank you. And you?–‘Lei’ you will hear from perhaps a waiter and a barista. It is a sign of respect.

Abbastanza bene–(ah-bah-stah-sstah-zah-beh-nay)–Pretty good–Literal meaning is ‘well enough’. This phrase is more leaning towards informal.

Non c’e` male–(nohn-cheh-mah-lay)–Not too bad–Pretty easy to understand this one. This phrase is in all the phrasebooks.

Che lavoro fai?–(kay-lah-voh-roh-feye)–What do you do?–Self-explanatory.

Sono una(un)…–(soh-noh-oo-nah(oon)–I am a…–[una] and [un] is the article referring to your profession. For example, for the profession doctor, un dottore is masculine, una dottoressa is feminine.