Common Italian Phrases for Travel

By Lachlan McRitchie

Updated July 11, 2026

The most useful Italian travel phrases are mi scusi (excuse me), non capisco (I don't understand), and vorrei (I would like). Here are the essentials for asking for help and getting around politely.

ItalianEnglish
mi scusiexcuse meformal
non capiscoI don't understand
parla inglese?do you speak English?formal
dov'è ...?where is ...?
quanto costa?how much is it?
vorrei ...I would like ...
il conto, per favorethe bill, please
aiuto!help!
non parlo italianoI don't speak Italian
mi può aiutare?can you help me?formal

Want these to stick? Hear them in real context: LingoBinge surfaces words like these while you watch Italian shows on Netflix, and saves them for spaced review.

Hear them in: Summertime, Baby.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say I don't understand in Italian?
You say non capisco. To ask whether someone speaks English, use parla inglese?, and mi scusi (excuse me) politely opens almost any request.

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