Essential Italian Vocabulary Words for Beginners

May 23, 2018

Learning basic vocabulary words helps you build a solid language foundation. Below, Italian teacher Nadia B. shares some of the most essential Italian vocabulary words to add to your study list…

Are you ready to start learning Italian? Before you dive into the more difficult lessons like grammar and writing, it’s best to start with a foundation of basic Italian vocabulary words. Learning these words will give you a running start, and enable you to communicate in a simple, yet clear way in Italian. Below is a list of basic Italian vocabulary words, split into five different categories.

Greetings

Greetings are perhaps the most useful vocabulary words of all, especially when you’re traveling. These simple words give you the ability to appropriately greet whomever you encounter or understand those who are greeting you.

Essential verbs

In order to form complete sentences you must have an understanding of the essential verbs. Below are just a few of the most useful verbs to add to your language repertoire.

Numbers

To effectively communicate prices in shops, quantities of food, and other items, numbers are extremely useful to know. Below are the numbers one through ten as well as examples of how to use the numbers in sentences.

Introductions

Another basic element of vocabulary are words to introduce yourself. After all, it will be hard to meet a native speaker if you’re not sure of how to introduce yourself properly. Below are some vocabulary words for introductions.

Politeness

Lastly, there’s nothing more important in Italian culture than politeness. When speaking a new language, you can often end up saying things you don’t mean out of misunderstanding. The following words will help you fix any situation.

With these words, you’re well on your way to building a strong foundation of basic Italian vocabulary. To help you memorize these words, play some fun grammar games or practice speaking with your family or friends.

Nadia B. teaches Italian in New York, NY. She graduated summa cum laude from New York University, with a double degree in Italian Language and Literature and Classical Music Performance. Learn more about Nadia here!