essay phrases italian

• Vocabulary and Expressions

50 Helpful Italian Essay Phrases to Make Writing a Breeze

March 13, 2019 10:00 am

Writing an essay can be nerve-racking. But doing it in a foreign language like Italian? Well, hello anxiety! But you don’t need to worry too much because here in this article, we’ve compiled some of the most useful Italian essay phrases to help you. Try sprucing up your essays with these phrases and take it from there.

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Useful Italian Phrases to Discuss in Italian (For Advanced Learners)

Many of you have certainly experienced more than once that it is rather difficult to be entirely fluent in a foreign language. And even after years and years of studying a language, exercising conversation, reading novels and newspaper articles to improve your vocabulary, when it comes to discussing (discutere, argomentare) important issues or writing an essay, you may feel like you’re wresting with words. We suggest not being frustrated as even for native speakers it is not easy

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Useful Italian phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Italian.

Jump to phrases

See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder . If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me .

Key to abbreviations: sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person, inf = informal, frm = formal, m = male (said by males), f = female (said by females), >m = said to males, >f said to females.

Italian audio, translations and corrections by Andrea Pollett, Chiara Maggi, Gonzalo Drinot and Riccardo Cristiani

Download all the audio files (Zip format, 1MB)

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me .

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Other collections of Italian phrases (some with audio) http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/languages/italian/italian_fix/phrase/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/italian/quickfix/ http://www.learn-italian-language-software.com/phrases/FSItalian.htm http://italian.about.com/library/survival/blsurvivalindex.htm http://www.linguanaut.com/english_italian http://www.ielanguages.com/italian1.html

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Italian Essay Phrases

Subject: Italian

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

7 February 2014

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Very useful for Discursive Writing and also for Higher Assignment preparation.

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Language students always want interesting sentence starters. Grazie mille!!

Quite a few errors in this sheet - gli svantaggi /lo svantaggio- dall'altra parte/ mi sembra/ and a few others so have your teacher check before you use x

Grazie mille!

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Per esprimere un’opinione [Expressing opinions]

Here are some Italian phrases for expressing your opinion.

By the way, be careful with ‘I agree / I don’t agree’, which are verbs in English but prepositional or adverbial phrases (or something like that) in Italian.

It’s as if you are saying ‘I am in agreement’ rather than ‘I agree.’ Italians speaking English tend to say ‘I am agree’ and ‘I am not agree’ for this reason…

A mio parere – In my opinion… Io penso che – I think that… Sono d’accordo. – I agree. Non sono d’accordo. – I don’t agree. / I disagree. Credo che… – I believe that… Sono convinto/a che… – I am convinced that… Trovo che… – I find that… Per me… – For me… Secondo me… – In my opinion…

Now try this exercise

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Learn Italian

101 basic italian phrases for travel you need to know for your trip to italy.

This article may contain compensated links. See our full disclosure here

If you’re planning on visiting Italy then it’s a good idea to learn some key Italian phrases, words and sentences. In this guide to basic Italian phrases for travel, we step you through the most useful ways to communicate on your trip to Italy. After all, language is a big part of Italian culture and you want to experience it all, am I right?

Making an effort to understand and speak Italian on your trip is not simply a matter of respect – although we think this is very important too. When you talk to people in their language they appreciate it and experiences open up to you that would not have been possible if you had been speaking English.

Article contents

So let’s get started with the common Italian phrases and words that will be most useful to you on your travels.

Basic Italian phrases

When you visit Italy, these are the most common words and phrases that will demonstrate you have made some effort to speak the local language. Learning these useful Italian words will help you talk to all manner of people during your trip.

Note – We’ve provided a phonetic pronunciation guide after the Italian translation for each word. If you really want to get the accent right a little extra study is recommended. We’ve provided some useful resources at the end of this article to help you learn Italian travel phrases useful for your trip.

Yes – Si – See

No – No – Noh

Please – Per favore – Pehr fah- voh -reh

Thank you – Grazie – Grah -tsee-eh

You’re welcome – Prego – Preh -goh

Cheers! (To your health) – Salute! – Sah -loo-tay

Excuse me (for attention) – Scusi – S kooh – zee

Excuse me (to pass by) – Permesso – Pehr- mehs -soh

Do you speak English? – Parla Inglese? – Parh-la een-glay-zeh

I don’t understand – Non capisco – Non kah -pee-skoh

I’m sorry – Mi dispiace – Mee dees- pyah -cheh

Common greetings in Italian

One thing we really love about visiting Italy is the cultural differences and norms. In Italy, saying “good morning” is not simply a throwaway line. You should always greet people wherever you go – when entering a shop or restaurant, to hotel staff, on the bus or at a cultural sight. It’s the expected thing to do.

A friendly “buon giorno!” with a smile will go a long way. So here are the most common Italian greetings and their context so you get it right! Generally you use the formal with people you don’t know, especially older people. The informal is used between friends.

Good morning (formal) – Buon giorno – Bwohn- johr -noh

Good afternoon (formal) – Buona sera – Bwoh -nah- seh -rah

Good night (formal) – Buona notte – B woh – nah – noh – teh

Hi / Bye (informal) – Ciao! – C how 

Good bye (formal) – Arrivederci – A hr -ree-veh- dehr -chee

My name is … – Mi chiamo – Mee kyah -moh

What is your name? – Come si chiama? – Koh -meh see kyah -mah?

Pleased to meet you – Piacere – Pyah- cheh -reh

How are you? (formal) – Come sta? – Koh -meh stah?

Good thank you – Bene grazie – B eh -neh  grah -tsee-eh

How to say numbers in Italian

While you don’t need to be able to count to 100, a good grasp of numbers up to 12 at least (for the hours of the day) will stand you in good stead. After all, you need numbers when you’re at a restaurant – una pizza per favore! (a pizza please!)

One – Uno – Oo -noh

Two – Due – Doo -eh

Three – Tre – Treh

Four – Quattro – Kwah -troh  

Five – Cinque – Cheen -kweh

Six – Sei  – Say

Seven – Sette – Seht -tey

Eight – Otto – Oh -toh

Nine – Nove – Noh -veh

Ten – Dieci – Dee- EH -chee  

Eleven – Undici – Oon – dee-chee

Twelve – Dodici – Doh -dee-chee

To learn more about counting in Italian click here

Telling the time and days of the week

Here are the basics of telling time in Italian, plus days of the week and other useful sentences for making reservations and plans. Italians generally use a 24 hour clock but also understand the 12 hour clock if you specify morning and afternoon.

In the morning – Di M attina  – Dee mah- teen -ah

In the afternoon – Di p omeriggio – Dee poh-meh- reed -joh

In the evening – Di Sera – Dee se h – rah

Noon – Mezzogiorno – Mehd-dzoh- johr -noh  

At what time? – A che ora? – Ah kay oar-ah?  

Nine o’clock in the morning – Le nove – Le noh-vay

Eight o’clock in the evening – Le otto di sera /  – Le ot-to dee seh-rah 

Monday – Lunedì  – Loo-neh- dee

Tuesday – Martedì – Mahr-teh- dee  

Wednesday – Mercoledì – Mehr-koh-leh- dee

Thursday – Giovedì – Joh-veh- dee

Friday – Venerdì – Veh-nehr- dee  

Saturday – Sabato – Sah -bah-toh

Sunday – Domenica – Doh- meh -nee-kah

Today – Oggi – Ohd -jee

Yesterday – Ieri – Yeh -ree

Tomorrow – Domani – Doh- mah -nee

Want to speak more Italian?

Check out our review of Rocket Italian , one of the best online courses for learning Italian.

Useful phrases at restaurants

No doubt your Italy trip includes a plan to enjoy a few meals at restaurants. And we’re sure ordering a gelato or two is also high on your list. Let’s get you ready with these essential Italian phrases you need for ordering food or at restaurants. These may be the times that you interact with Italians the most so practice your greetings too!

Can I see the menu please? – Il menu, per favore – Eel men-oo, pehr fah- voh -reh

What do you recommend? – Che cosa ci consiglia? – Kay koh-za chee kon-seel-ya?

I’m allergic to… – Sono allergica/o a.. . – Son -oh ah -ler-gee-koh / kah ah

Gluten / Dairy / Fish – Glutine / Lattecini / Pesce  – Gloo-teen-ay /  Lah-tay-cheen-ee / Pesh-ay  

House wine – Vino della casa – Vee -noh del-lah car-sah

Red / white wine – Vino rosso / bianco – Vee – n oh ross-oh /  bee-ahn-koh

A glass / bottle – Una bicchiere / una bottiglia – OO -nah beek- kyeh -reh / boht- tee -lyah

Appetizer – Antipasto  – Ahn -tee-pah-stoh

First course – Primo – Pree -moh

Second course – Secondo – Sek -kon-doh

Dessert – Dolci – Doll -chee

Two flavors please – Due gusti, per favore  – Doo -eh goo-stee, pehr fah- voh -reh

Where’s the bathroom? – Dov’è il bagno?  – Doh- veh eel bahn -yoh?

The check (bill) please – Il conto, per favore – Eel kon-toh, pehr fah- voh -reh

Can I pay by card? – Posso pagare con la carta? – Pohs -soh pah- gah -reh kon la cahr-tah?

Words to know when you are visiting museums

Visiting museums and attractions is a big part of many Italian itineraries. In this section, we’ve given you some useful phrases in Italian to help you buy tickets and ask common questions.

When does it open / close? – Quando si apri / chiude?  – Kwahn -doh see ah-pree / chee-oo-deh?

Two adults / one child – Due adulti / un bambino  – Doo -eh ah-dool-tee / oon  bahm-bee-noh

One / two ticket/s – Un / due biglietto/i  – Oon  beel-yet-toh / tee

One senior – Un pensionato  – Oon pen-seyoh-nah-toh

One student – Uno studente – Ooh -noh stoo-den-teh

Where is the bag store / cloak room? – Dov’è la guardaroba? – Doh-veh lah gard-ah-robe-ah?

Asking for directions in Italian

If you get lost or need help with directions, these helpful words in Italian will come in handy.

Where is… ? – Dov’è…? – Doh-veh … ?

Entrance – Entrata  – En -trah-tah

Exit – Uscita  – Ooh -shee-tah

Left – Sinistra  – See – nee-stra

Right – Destra – Deh -stra

Straight ahead – Dritto – Dree-toh

Forward – Avanti  – Ah -vahn-tee

Back – Dietro – Dee-et-roh

Useful words for transport and getting around

Most visitors to Italy will need to take a train or bus, or ride in a taxi. These phrases will be useful in these situations when it is likely you may need to ask for help to reach the right platform or bus stop.

Where is the train station? – Dov’è la stazione? – Doh-veh lah stah-tzee-oh-neh?

Where is the bus stop? – Dov’è la fermata – Doh-veh lah fur-mah-tah?

One way – Andata  – Ahn – dah-tah

Return – Ritorno – Ree -torn-oh

What platform for Rome? – Da quale binario per Roma? – Dah kwah-lay bin-ah-rio pehr Roh-mah?

Newstand (for bus tickets) – Tabacchi  – Tah-back-kee

Shopping words in Italian

Time to go shopping! Make sure you’re ready with these key phrases.

I would like… – Vorrei…  – Vor-ray…

How much is this? – Quanto costa questo?   –   Kwahn -toh kohs -tah kwehs -toh??

OK I’ll take it – Va bene, lo prendo – V ah beh -neh , loh prehn- doh 

I don’t want it – Non lo voglio – N ohn loh voh- lyoh

Can you ship to…? – Puoi spedire a?   –   Pwoy   sped -ear-eh ah?

What to say if you need help in Italian

We hope you never need to use these phrases but it’s a good idea to know them “just in case”.

Help! – Aiuto! – Ay-oo-toh!

I need a doctor – Ho bisogno di un dottore   – Ho biz-ohn-nyo dee oon dot-tor-reh

Call the police – Chiami la polizia  – Kee-ya-mee la po-lee-zee-ah

Look out! – Attento!  – At – ten-toh

Go away! – Vai via! – Vy vee-ah!

Want to get beyond basic Italian phrases for travel?

These days there are a wealth of resources to help you learn Italian. You can use handy apps, books and podcasts to get started and we outlined some of the best of these in this article .

But, if you want to construct your own basic Italian sentences and perfect your accent, a systematic approach with a proven method will help you make progress quickly. After much trial and error, we enjoy using Rocket Italian . This online course combines verbal cultural situation lessons with grammar and vocabulary to get you speaking Italian quickly. My accent also improved significantly thanks to the voice recognition tasks.

Another option for travelers wanting a quick start to learning Italian for their trip is the fast track method developed by our friends at Intrepid Italian. Designed to get you speaking the key phrases you need for your trip, this short course aims to get you speaking travel ready Italian in 2 weeks > more info .

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StoryLearning

Learn A Language Through Stories

70 Must-Know Italian Conjunctions That Will Make You Sound Like An Italian

Connectors are an important part of any language, but especially, it has to be said, learning Italian . There are an amazing number of Italian transition words, which may seem daunting, at first. But most of them are really simple and easy to remember, as you’ll see.

Some of the Italian conjunctions I mention below look like they mean the same exact thing. But there are subtle differences because in Italian, these words have different meanings depending on when you use them.

Sometimes, these differences can’t really be explained. But you’ll get the hang of using them right through practice. And that’s what I'm here to help you do!

Don’t worry if these feel overwhelming, at first. It can be said that most Italian connectors — connettivi — don’t count as a basic level of language learning.

This is not because transition words in Italian are especially difficult. But because not all of them are really necessary to make yourself understood. You can skip using many of them if you’re just starting out, and then pick them up bit by bit.

In any case, here is an Italian conjunctions list of 70 words to get you started, grouped from basic to more complex so you can choose the ones that suit your needs best. By the end of the post, you'll be dropping connettivi into your speech like you were born speaking that way!

By the way, if you want to learn Italian with stories, not rules, I recommend Italian Uncovered, my innovative Italian course that will teach you through StoryLearning®. Click here to find out more and try it out for yourself for free.

How Italian Conjunctions Help You Sound More Fluent

Conjunctions in Italian make sentences sound better by tying them together. Speech becomes smoother, and relations between the things said become more clear. This is true for English, and most other languages, as well.

Here’s a simple example. You could, for instance, say:

• Non è stato invitato a casa di Cathy. Non le piace.  – He wasn’t invited to Cathy’s house. She doesn’t like him.

Or you could say:

• Non è stato invitato a casa di Cathy perché/poichè non le piace.  – He wasn’t invited to Cathy’s house because/since she doesn’t like him.

Both of those make sense and really say the same thing. But while the first version is a little chunky, the second one just sounds better.

Imagine if instead of two statements, you had five or six. As the things you learn to say in a language become more complex, connectors become increasingly useful. They are the key to fluency.

Now, let’s look at some of the other examples used in Italian, a language that loves their connettivi.

Basic Connectors In Italian

Let’s start with a list of connectors you’re most likely to encounter when learning italian. These are the most important ones to know and, luckily, the easiest to learn.

#1 Perché – Why, Because

• Perché non hai studiato? -Why didn’t you study?
• Non ho studiato ieri perché stavo male. – I did not study yesterday because I was unwell.

#2 Insomma – Finally, Ultimately

• Il suo problema, insomma, non è chiaro.  – His/her problem, ultimately, isn’t clear.

Insomma can also be used on its own, so say something like “it’s better than nothing”, or “it’s not all that bad”:

• Ho perso il portafoglio, ma ho conosciuto una donna incredible . – I lost my wallet, but I met an incredible woman.
• Insomma … – Not too bad.

#3 Anche, Anche Se – Also, Even, Even If

• Non è solo bella, è ricca anche/è anche ricca.  – She is not only pretty, she is rich, too.

#4 Almeno – At Least

• Almeno sei tornato, finalmente.  – At least you came back, finally (in the end).

#5 Infatti – In Fact

Infatti can informally be used on its own, as an answer, to express agreement.

• Che giornata bellissima. – What a beautiful day.
• Infatti. – I agree.

#6 Tra L’altro – As Well, Among Other Things

Often written as tralaltro even by Italians, that’s actually not right. Tra l’altro comes from tra lo altro , for “among the other”.

• Tra l’altro, non ero neppure* stato avvertito.  – Among other things, I wasn’t even informed (told).

* neppure means not even — see below for pure.

#7 Così – So, So That

• Non c’era nessuno in giro, così siamo tornati a casa.  – There was nobody around, so we went back home.
• Questo film è così noioso!  – This movie is so boring!

#8 Così Che – So That; How + Subject

• Sii chiara così che lui capisca.  – Be clear so that he’ll understand. 
• É così che lo devi fare.  – That’s how you are supposed to do it.

#9 Ma, Però – But, However

Sometimes, these two are interchangeable. Ma needs to be at the beginning of the statement (which can be in the middle of a sentence, as long as it is followed by a statement), while però can be at the end, as well.

• Strano ma vero.   – Strange but true.
• Non sarà divertente, è necessario però.  – It will not be fun, however, it is necessary.

#10 Invece – Instead

• Prendo una birra invece del caffè. – I’ll take a beer instead of the coffee.

Invece can also be used, in slang, to emphasize disagreement.

• Tu non mi hai chiamato. – You did not call me. 
• Invece sì! (or: Sì, invece!) – Yes, I did. (lit. instead, I did)

This is somewhat like when children say “I did too” in America.

#11 Tranne, Tranne Che, (Eccetto Che ) – Except, Except For (Except That)

• Sono invitati tutti tranne Francesco.  – Everybody is invited, except for Francesco.

Connettivi Temporali , Or Connectors Of Time

Fun fact: temporali is also the plural form of [thunder]storm, temporale . But here, we’re talking about connectives of time, tempo .

These are used to put a sentence in relation to something in time, meaning to say that something happened before, or during, or after something. These, especially the short ones, are pretty important.

#12 Prima – Before Or Earlier

#13 dopo – after or later.

• Non ce la faccio prima di domani sera. – I can’t do it earlier than tomorrow evening.
• Va bene, chiamami dopo. – Fine, call me later.
• A dopo! – See you later.

#14 Qualche Giorno/Mese/Anno Fa – Some Days/Months/Years Ago

• L’ho visto qualche mese fa.  – I saw him a few/some months ago.

#15 Una Volta – At One Time, Once

• Ho visto C’era una Volta nel West solamente una volta.  – I only saw Once Upon a Time in the West one time.

#16 A Quei Tempi – In Those Days

• Andavamo in giro insieme a quei tempi.  – We used to go out together in those days.

Note that andare in giro — lit. “going around” — does not signify dating, but going places together generally. Here, going out would be stavamo insieme , or “we were together”.

#17 Allora – And Then, So Then, And So

• E allora, cosa facciamo?  – And now, what should we do?

This is one of the most versatile and most often used connectives in Italian . It can mean a lot of things, from “and then”, to “so what?”.

Most of the time, allora is sprinkled all over speech with no real meaning, as a sort of filler. Note that when spoken, the word for “at the time” sounds the same. Just keep in mind that it’s spelled differently: all’ora.

#18 Proprio Allora – Just Then, Right Then

• Dovevo vederla proprio allora.  – I had to see her right then.

#19 Ora, Adesso – Now

These two can be used interchangeably.

• Adesso me ne vado / Ora me ne vado.  – I am going now/now, I am going.

#20 Mentre, Nel Frattempo, Intanto Che – While, In The Meantime, In The Time That

• Intanto che/Mentre lei dormiva, io ho sistemato la camera. Nel frattempo, Giovanni è andato a fare la spesa.  – While she was sleeping, I tidied up the room. In the meantime, Giovanni went grocery shopping.

#21 A Questo Punto/Momento/Istante – At This Point/Moment/Instant

• A questo punto non ti so dire di più.  – At this point, I can’t tell you more.

#22 Alla Fine – At The End

Often used informally as a question meaning “so then?” Or at the end of sentences, to say “basically”, which means something like “let’s be honest here”.

See also: alla fine della fiera – literally “at the end of the fair”, this means “at the end of the day”.

• Ma alla fine della fiera, non è stata una buona esperienza. – But at the end of the day, it was not a good experience.

#23 Poi – Then, Later

• Prima o poi dovremo chiamare il meccanico.  – Sooner or later we will have to call the mechanic.
• E poi?  – And then?

Complex Italian Connectors

These connectors are grouped together here because they are either:

• infrequently used
• can easily be exchanged for one of the words above
• or, as with the final two examples, because they have so many meanings, and can be used in so many different ways.

#24 Siccome, Dato Che, Visto Che – Seeing As, Given That, Since

• Volevo essere onesta, visto che siamo amici.  – I wanted to be honest, seeing as we are friends.

#25 Poichè – Because, Since

• Non è stato invitato a casa di Cathy poichè/perché non le piace.  – He wasn’t invited to Cathy’s house since she doesn’t like him.

Poichè can sometimes be used as a synonym for perché , as in the case above. But only when it is used in the sense of “because”, not in the sense of why. Easier: just don’t use poichè in a question.

#26 Gia’ ché, Giacché – Since Already, Now That

• Mangiamo qualcosa giacché sei qua.  – Let’s eat something, now that/since you're here.

#27 Innanzitutto, Prima Di Tutto – First Of All, Before Anything

• Innanzitutto bevo un bicchiere di vino.  – First of all, I’ll drink a glass of wine.
• Prima di tutto, so che sei una persona onesta, oltre a ciò sei gentilissimo.  – First of all I know that you are an honest person, other than that you are also very kind.

#28 Cioè – Meaning That, Which Means, i.e.

• Sono arrivato il 13, cioè venerdì.  – I arrived on the 13th, meaning Friday.

It can also be used as a question by itself, as in “what does that mean?” or “what is that supposed to mean?”. You can also hear it used as “filler” in a sentence similarly to the word “like” in English

#29 Perciò – For That Reason

( per – for, ciò – this, that)

• Mi sento male, perciò non esco. – I don’t feel well, so for that reason, I’m not going out.

#30 Ciononostante, Nonostante Ciò – Notwithstanding, Regardless

• Pioveva tutto il giorno, ma io sono divertita nonostante ciò.  – It rained all day, but I had fun regardless.

#31 Malgrado Ciò – Despite

• Continuano a lavorare malgrado siano stanchi.  – They continue to work despite being tired.

#32 Comunque – Anyway, However, Whichever Way

This is a word that’s easy to use, and is also used very often. But because it has so many subtle differences in meaning, I’ve put it down here with the more complex ones.

The good thing about comunque is that you can use it as much as you like, and it’ll most likely be correct . The closest thing to comunque in English is “anyway”.

• Non sai dov'è? Grazie comunque.  – You don't know where he/she/it is? Thanks anyway.
• Non sarà facile… Comunque, ci proverò.  – It will not be easy… Anyway, I'll try.

Then, comunque can also mean something like “nevertheless”. This is only a slight difference from anyway, and could be translated as that, in some cases.

• Abbiamo avuto dei problemi, comunque poteva andare peggio.  – We had some issues/problems, but still, things could have gone worse.

Comunque  sometimes also means “however” or “no matter which way”. This is sort of like “any way” rather than “anyway”, which is different but still similar, in a way.

• Questa lettera, comunque interpretata, non prova nulla.  – This letter, no matter how it's interpreted, doesn't prove anything.
• Comunque vada questa cosa, io ci sarò per te.  – However this thing might go, I'll be there for you.

Finally, in Italian slang , it can be used as meaningless filler, just like “anyway” is in English. Which is why, as mentioned, you can really put it almost anywhere.

#33 Quindi – So That, So Then, Therefore

You would use this all the time as a question, meaning “so what?”, but also to say something like “so then I did this or that”.

• Sta piovendo, quindi portati un ombrello.  – It's raining, so take an umbrella.
• Si tratta quindi di una cosa significativa.  – It is therefore a significant thing.
• Penso, quindi sono . I think, therefore I am.

Quindi can also mean then or next:

• Continua diritto, quindi gira a sinistra.  – Keep going straight, then turn left.
• Ho cenato, quindi sono andata a dormire.  – I had dinner, then I went to sleep.

But the best thing about quindi is that because it means such a small thing, “so”, you can use it almost anywhere, almost always – just like allora or comunque .

You can put it in the beginning of a sentence, in the middle, at the end. It’s the one thing that will make you sound more Italian than any other, quindi …

• Quindi alla fine, è andato tutto bene.  – So ultimately, it went well.

#34 Eppure – Still, Even So

• Sono uscito prima questa mattina, eppure non sono arrivato in tempo.  – I left the house earlier this morning, and still/even so did not arrive in time.

#35 Pure – Also, Even If, Despite

Pure is somewhat complicated, which is why I’ve chosen it as the last entry. The good news is that there is almost no time when you have to use this and can’t substitute it.

But there is a unique joy in mastering this little connector. And it’s not that hard: just use it in one form, at first, and the rest will follow.

• Oggi ho comprato una gonna e pure un paio di scarpe.  – Today I bought a skirt and also a pair of shoes.

Pure can be used to express doubt, or uncertainty in the face of something obvious:

• La sua voce è davvero pessima. Bisognerà pure dirglielo prima o poi.  – His voice is really terrible, we might have to tell him sooner or later.

Or signal that you’re welcome to go ahead with something:

• Prego, signorina, venga pure!  – Please, miss, come right in!

Easily enough, it is used wherever you’d use “even” in English:

• La ama così tanto che darebbe pure la vita per lei.  – He loves her so much, he’d even give his life for her.
• Pur* avendo lavorato molto, Giuseppe non guadagnava.  – Even working a lot, Giuseppe did not earn.

*the e is missing at the end of pure here because the next word is a so-called gerundio , or gerund. This is a verb used as a noun, which is essentially a word that ends with “ing” in English.

Pure , like the articles in German or the different sounds letter combinations make in English (through or tough, trough, cough, and so on it goes) is often a matter of feeling.

This gives it an intuitive quality that isn’t easily explained, but that doesn’t mean it is hard to get your head around. Practice and listen, and it’ll come to you sooner than you think. Or apply the StoryLearning® method , and look out for it as you read and listen to Italian.

Bonus Italian Conjunctions 

As we're on a roll now, here are some more words to add to your Italian conjunctions chart. You'll find Italian connectors for pretty much any and every situation!

#36 A Volte – Sometimes

• A volte faccio fatica ad addormentarmi.  – Sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep.

#37 A Parte – Except; Besides

• Lisa è molto simpatica, a parte quando è al lavoro.  – Lisa is really funny, except when she is at work.

#38 Ad Esempio – For Example; For Instance

• Ci sono molti modi per rimettersi in forma, ad esempio l’esercizio fisico e una dieta equilibrata.  There are many ways of getting back into shape, for instance exercising and a healthy diet.

#39 Ad Un Certo Punto – At A Certain Point

• Ad un certo punto dovremmo rimettere a posto i documenti che hai nel cassetto. – At a certain point we should re-organize the documents you have in your drawer.

#40 Affinché – So That; In Order To

• Le rose hanno bisogno di molte cure affinché crescano bene.  – Roses need a lot of care in order to grow well.

#41 Altrimenti – Otherwise

• Rimetti subito a posto la tua stanza, altrimenti la mamma si arrabbierà moltissimo. – Clean up your room right now; otherwise mom will be very angry.

#42 Ancora – Yet; Still

• Dopo tre ore il treno non era ancora arrivato a destinazione.  – After three hours, the train had still not arrived at its destination.

#43 Anzi – Rather; On The Contrary; In Fact; Actually

You can also use anzi as an exclamation to emphasize that something is completely the opposite of what has been said. 

• É un buon investimento, anzi ottimo!  – It is a good investment, in fact, it’s excellent!
• Non sono affatto più vecchia, anzi! – I am not older at all, actually!

#44 Appena – Just

• Marco era appena uscito di casa quando si è ricordato delle chiavi.  – Marco had just left his home, when he remembered his keys.

#45 Come – As; Like; Similarly

• Sandro è alto come suo padre.  – Sandro is tall like his dad.

#46 Dal Momento Che – Since

• Dal momento che alcuni dei nostri studenti si sono trasferiti,  la nostra classe è molto più tranquilla.  – Since some of our students moved, our class is much more quiet.

#47 Dato Il Fatto Che – Given The Fact That…

• Dato il fatto che non abbiamo più soldi, sarebbe meglio se tornassimo a casa. – Given the fact that we have no more money, it would be better going home.

#48 Di Solito – Usually

• Di solito l’autobus passa ogni 15 minuti. – Usually the bus comes every 15 minutes.

#49 Forse – Maybe

• Forse dovresti smettere di mangiare così tanto.  – Maybe you should stop eating so much.

#50 Finalmente – Finally

• Finalmente sono in vacanza e posso leggere il mio libro nuovo! – Finally I am on vacation and I can read my new book.

#51 In Altre Parole – In Other Words

• In altre parole, non è cambiato niente.  – In other words, nothing changed.

#52 In Particolare – In Particular

• I cani, in particolare, sono creature molto affettuose. – Dogs, in particular, are really affectionate creatures.

#53 In Primo Luogo – In The First Place; Firstly

• In primo luogo, vorrei ringraziare il mio supervisore di tesi per il suo supporto.  – Firstly, I would like to thank my thesis supervisor for his/her support.

#54 In Tal Caso – In That Case

• In tal caso è meglio rimandare a domani.  – In that case, it’s better to postpone until tomorrow.

#55 Mettere Il Caso (Mettiamo Il Caso; Metti Caso) – Suppose That; Let’s Say That; Let’s Suppose

• Mettiamo il caso che il ristorante sia chiuso, dove andremmo a mangiare? – Suppose that the restaurant is closed, where would we go to eat?

#56 Nè… Nè – Neither…Nor

• Nè la pioggia nè il vento gli avrebbero impedito di uscire quella sera.  – Neither rain nor wind would have kept him from going out that night.

#57 Nel Caso (In Cui) – In Case (That)

• Nel caso in cui tu decida di uscire, potresti passare al supermercato? – In case you decide to go out, could you stop by the supermarket?

#58 Non Appena – As Soon As

• Non appena aprì la porta, si rese conto che il prigioniero era scappato! – As soon as he opened the door, he realized the prisoner had escaped! 

#59 Non Solo… Ma Anche – Not Only…But Also

• Shakespeare è conosciuto non solo in Inghilterra ma anche in tutto il resto del mondo.  – Shakespeare is not only known in England, but also in the rest of the world.

#60 Oppure – Or

• Potremmo andare al cinema oppure potremmo vedere un film a casa.  – We could go to the cinema, or we could watch a movie at home.

#61 Per Esempio – For Example; For Instance

• Ci sono un sacco di posti che vorrei visitare: la Thailandia, per esempio!  – There are many places that I would like to visit: Thailand, for example!

#62 Poniamo Il Caso Che – Let’s Suppose That

• Poniamo il caso che l’assassino si sia liberato dell’arma del delitto qui vicino, dovremmo riuscire a trovarla. – Let’s suppose that the murderer got rid of the weapon nearby. We should be able to find it!

#63 Prima…Poi – Before…After ; First…Then

• Prima pranziamo poi possiamo rimetterci a studiare.  – First we have lunch, then we can start studying again.

#64 Purtroppo – Unfortunately

• Purtroppo non posso aiutarti. Sono troppo occupata.  – Unfortunately, I cannot help you. I am too busy.

#65 Qualora – If ; Insofar

• Ricordati di avvisarmi qualora tu fossi in ritardo.  – Remember to call me if you are going to be late.

#66 Quando – When

• Quando penso a mia sorella ricordo ancora com’eravamo da bambine.  – When I think of my sister, I still remember how we were as children.

#67 Se – If

• Se avessi studiato di più, non avresti preso un voto così basso!  – If you had studied more, you wouldn’t have gotten such a low score!

#68 Se è Vero Che – If It’s True That

• Se è vero che la pazienza è una virtù, mia nonna è la persona più virtuosa che conosca!  – If it’s true that patience is a virtue, my grandmore is the most virtuous person I know!

#69 Sia…Sia / Sia…Che – And…And ; Both…And

• Per dimagrire servono sia una buona dieta che esercizio fisico.  – To lose weight you need both a good diet and exercise.

#70 Tuttavia – Nonetheless

• Lucia sembra distratta, tuttavia è comprensibile.  – Lucia seems distracted. Nonetheless, it’s understandable.

One Of The Keys To Italian Fluency

Italian is a famously expressive language. Lots of body language is involved, and a healthy amount of exaggeration and emphasis.

Italian conjunctions help this beautiful language bloom in all its dramatic glory. And they will serve you better in becoming fluent in Italian than any other type of word.

That's right, you don't need perfect Italian grammar (no matter what the grammar villain might say) or a vocabulary of 10,000 words to sound like an Italian. Sometimes, it really is the little things, like these Italian connectors, that count.

So get out there and start using them in your Italian conversations . And make sure you try to spot Italian connectors whenever you're reading in Italian . Or in whatever medium you like to use to immerse yourself in the language, like Italian podcasts or Italian movies.

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