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Learn How to Express Your Feelings, Attitudes and Requests in Italian

Anywhere you are in the world you want to be able to express yourself. If you are happy or sad, satisfied or scared, you want to be able to let others know. Sometimes in your mother tongue it’s difficult to find the words to say what you really mean and it’s made even more difficult when you try to do the same in a language you are just learning. Italians, however, are all about expressing what they are thinking and feeling–in a big way–and so there are many handy expressions you can learn to get your point across accurately and clearly.

 

SOME USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

Come stai = How are you?

Ti voglio bene, ti amo = I care for you, I love you

Ti odio = I hate you (if having a lover’s quarrel this will usually be followed by one of the above)

Mi sei indifferente = You mean nothing to me

Sono triste = I’m sad

Sono felice = I’m happy

Io sono arrabbiato = I’m angry

Mi sento male = I’m feeling bad

Io mi abbatto facilmente = I easily get depressed

Mi sento molto bene = I’m extremely good

Che gioia rivederti! = How wonderful to see you again!

Tu sei una persona debole, non determinata = You are wishy-washy

Tu sei cocciuto = You are stubborn

Io sono ottimista = I’m optimist

Io sono pessimista = I’m pessimist

Non avere rimpianti = No regrets!

Mi dispiace informarla che…. = I regret to inform you that…

Tu hai un carattere chiuso = You are reserved (hard to read)

Tu sei estroverso = You are an extrovert (talkative)

Avere un temperamento estroso = Having a whimsical temperament

Che maleducato! = What a rude man!

Egli è arrogante, spavaldo = He is arrogant, bold

Lui è un credulone = He is a dupe

Tu sei squilibrato = You are unbalanced

Io sono ansioso perchè devo prendere l’aeroplano = I’m anxious, because I have to take the airplane

Tu sei annoiato = You are bored

Tu sei curioso = You are curious

Tu sei divertente = You are funny

Tu sei restio all’idea di partire = You are hesitant, reluctant to leave

Tu sei pigro = You are lazy

Tu sei irrequieto = You are restless

Tu sei sciocco = You are silly

Tu sei schizzinoso, difficile = You are picky

Tu sei fidato = You are reliable, trustworthy

Tu sei adirato = You are upset

Tu sei un tipo solitario = You are a loner

Tu sei una persona sensibile = You are sensitive

Ella è paurosa = She is afraid

Lui è pauroso come un coniglio = He is timid as a rabbit

Tu ti arrabbi sempre quando le cose non vanno per il loro verso = You always get angry when things don’t go as planned.

Tu sei una persona delusa dalla vita = You are a person disappointed by life.

Non mi piace parlare in pubblico, perchè sono timida = I don’t like talking in public, because I’m shy.

 

EXPRESSING A REQUEST

Will you stop here? = Potresti fermarti qui?  Can be used if you are in a taxi and would like to get out.

Potrebbe riservarmi 2 [due] camere per 5 [cinque] notti? = Could you please reserve two rooms for five days?

Potrebbe per piacere spedirmi la conferma della prenotazione? = Would you please send me confirmation of the booking?

Potrebbe per favore cambiare la mia prenotazione dal 10 dicembre al 18 dicembre? = Could you please change my reservation from December 10th to the 18th?

Mi rincresce dire che sono costretta a cancellare una prenotazione per una camera singola per la notte del 21 dicembre = I’m sorry, but I have to cancel my reservation for December 21st.

Posso aprire la finestra? = May I open the window?

Posso avere la chiave? = Can I have the key?  Can be used at your hotel

If you are at a party people might ask you…Will you have a cognac? = Vorresti bere un cognac?

 

Expressing habitual behaviors:

I will dance for hours = Io ballerò per ore

 

Expressing the future tense:

You will regret it when you are older = Ti pentirai di esso quando sai più vecchio.

 

When you have to apologize:

Sorry I’m late, I was stuck in a traffic jam = Scusi il ritardo ma c’era molto traffico.

Sorry I don’t understand, could you speak more slowly? = Scusa non capisco, potresti parlare più lentamente?

Mi scuso per questo cambiamento dei miei piani e spero che questo non causerà nessun inconveniente = I apologize for this change in plans and hope that will not cause you any inconvenience.

 

So when you head over to Italy remember these useful expressions and when in doubt here’s another request you may want to try out: “Come si dice…?” which means “How do you say…?”

 

By Elisa Bressan

 

 

 

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