You’ve got a big trip to Italy coming up, and you couldn’t be more excited. You’re dreaming of authentic gelato, and you’ve packed your floppiest hat to bask in the Mediterranean sun. On your list of spots to see are some of Italy’s most famous icons — the Colosseum, the Venetian canals and the ruins of Pompeii. But while you’re fantasizing about tasting the peninsula’s culinary masterpieces and traveling between its historical and cultural meccas, have you thought about transportation in Italian paradise?
Sure, you want to be culturally and linguistically competent when it comes to knowing where to visit on your Italian vacation and how to talk about these places. But you can’t enjoy these sites and sights without knowing how to talk about the process of getting there! Navigating a new place is hard enough, and if you don’t know the language, certain risks might put a damper on your experience — like getting lost or missing a tight transit connection, for example.
That’s why we’ve whipped up a handy guide to transportation in Italian to help you talk about getting around when you’re traveling the Italian peninsula — whether you’re making your way to Milan, on the road to Rome, or popping on over to Pisa by plane, train, or automobile (or on foot, if you’ve got a lot of time and some good shoes). So read on! You can press the play button to hear the pronunciation of each word.
Talking About Transportation In Italian
General Navigation
Turn left. — Giri a sinistra.
Turn right. — Giri a destra.
On the corner — all’angolo
Continue straight ahead! — Continui dritto!
I’m going to the Colosseum. — Io vado al Colosseo.
Are you going to Rome? (informal) — Tu vai a Roma?
Where is a supermarket? — Dov’è un supermercato?
Do you know a hotel in the center? — Conosci un albergo in centro?
Where can I buy a ticket? — Dove posso comprare un biglietto?
Traveling By Plane
Excuse me, how do I get to the airport? — Scusi, per andare all’aeroporto?
airplane — l’aereo
airport — l’aeroporto
terminal — il terminal
luggage — il bagaglio
hand baggage (carry-on) — il bagaglio a mano
weight limit — il limite di peso
departure — il decollo
flight — il volo
security check — il controllo di sicurezza
gate — il gate
flight attendant — l’assistente di volo
connection — la coincidenza
to check in — fare il check in
to board — imbarcarsi
to land — atterrare
Traveling By Train Or Bus
public transportation — il trasporto pubblico
train — il treno
bus — l’autobus
train station — la stazione
bus (or train) stop — la fermata
ticket — il biglietto
passenger — il passeggero
subway — la metro
timetable — l’orario
crowded — pieno
to catch — prendere
to transfer — trasferire
to validate — convalidare
Which bus goes to the airport? — Quale autobus va all’aeroporto?
Is there a bus stop near here? — C’è una fermata qui vicino?
What time does the train to Rome leave? — A che ora parte il treno per Roma?
Traveling By Car Or Bike
car — l’automobile
driver — l’autista
bicycle — la bicicletta
headlight — il faro
windshield wipers — il tergicristallo
key — la chiave
helmet — il casco
to drive — guidare
to park — parcheggiare
to break down — andare in panne
driver’s license — la patente di guida
Can we park our here? — Possiamo parcheggiare qui la macchina?
My car has broken down. — Ho la macchina in panne.
Traveling By Boat
boat — la barca
canal — il canale
water — l’acqua