Sit on a bench in an Italian piazza, and sooner or later someone will start talking to you. This lesson gives you the questions locals ask a visitor, your answers, and how to ask them back.
Your turn
In a piazza in Lecce, an older man asks Karen È la prima volta in Italia? What does he want to know?
CorrectNot quiteCheck the capital letters.Check the accents.
Whether it's her first time in Italy. la prima volta is the first time.
Did you know it?
The main idea
The questions you'll hear
Di dov'è?
Where are you from?
È la prima volta in Italia?
Is this your first time in Italy?
Le piace l'Italia?
Do you like Italy?
Lei è di qui?
Are you from here?
In piace (PYAH-cheh), c before e or i sounds like the ch in chair. Di dov'è? is the Lei form of Di dove sei? A young person may ask you Di dove sei? and Ti piace l'Italia? instead.
Your answers
Sono di Chicago.
I'm from Chicago.
Sono qui per una settimana.
I'm here for a week.
Sì, è la prima volta.
Yes, it's my first time.
No, è la terza volta.
No, it's my third time.
Sono qui in vacanza.
I'm here on vacation.
Sono qui per lavoro.
I'm here for work.
In settimana, hold the double t a little longer. prima, seconda, terza are first, second, third: la terza volta, the third time.
Karen sits on a bench in Piazza Sant'Oronzo, and Signor Greco sits down next to her:
Greco:Buongiorno! Lei non è di qui, vero?
Good morning! You're not from here, are you?
Karen:No, sono americana, di Columbus, in Ohio.
No, I'm American, from Columbus, in Ohio.
Greco:È la prima volta in Italia?
Is it your first time in Italy?
Karen:No, è la seconda volta. Sono qui in vacanza per due settimane.
No, it's my second time. I'm here on vacation for two weeks.
Greco:E Le piace?
And do you like it?
Karen:Moltissimo! E Lei, è di qui?
Very much! And you, are you from here?
Greco:Sì, sono nato a Lecce.
Yes, I was born in Lecce.
Lecce is LET-cheh: cc before e is a long ch sound. Karen says sono americana; a man says sono americano. In the same way, Signor Greco says sono nato, and a woman says sono nata. vero? at the end is right?, isn't it?: Italians add it to check something they think is true.
Quick check
Your turn
An older woman asks Karen where she's from. Which question does she use?
CorrectNot quiteCheck the capital letters.Check the accents.
Between adults who have just met, the Lei form: Di dov'è?
Your turn
Answer: Yes, it's my first time.
Sì, è la volta.
CorrectNot quiteCheck the capital letters.Check the accents.
Sì, è la prima volta.
la prima volta: the first time.
Your turn
Put the words in order: I'm here for two weeks.
CorrectNot quiteCheck the capital letters.Check the accents.
Sono qui per due settimane.
Sono qui, then how long: per due settimane.
Your turn
Karen is in Italy for work. What does she say?
CorrectNot quiteCheck the capital letters.Check the accents.
per lavoro: for work.
Your turn
Signor Greco asks Di dov'è? È qui in vacanza? Answer with your city and why you're here.
CorrectNot quiteCheck the capital letters.Check the accents.
Sono di Chicago. Sì, sono qui in vacanza.
Sono di Boston. No, sono qui per lavoro.
Sono di and your city, then in vacanza or per lavoro.
Did you know it?
Take with you
Di dov'è?
Where are you from?
Lei è di qui?
Are you from here?
Sono qui per una settimana.
I'm here for a week.
È la prima volta in Italia?
Is this your first time in Italy?
Sì, è la prima volta.
Yes, it's my first time.
Sono qui in vacanza.
I'm here on vacation.
Sono qui per lavoro.
I'm here for work.
Le piace l'Italia?
Do you like Italy?
Where you're from, how long, and why: and then E Lei, è di qui?
மூன்றாம் தரப்பு விளம்பர குக்கீகளையோ, தளங்களுக்கு இடையிலான கண்காணிப்பு பிக்சல்களையோ நாங்கள் பயன்படுத்துவதில்லை.
எங்கள் செயலி சீராக இயங்கவும், செயல்திறனைப் பகுப்பாய்வு செய்யவும், உங்கள் அனுபவத்தை மேம்படுத்தவும் குக்கீகளையும் அதுபோன்ற தொழில்நுட்பங்களையும் பயன்படுத்துகிறோம். உங்கள் விருப்பங்களை எப்போது வேண்டுமானாலும் நிர்வகிக்கலாம்.
