Ride with Scott in Venice as he befriends a local, Lucia, who helps him learn some key Italian phrases to ensure that he only partially makes a fool of himself!

Our short Italian lesson won't teach you the language but contains enough of the most common travel phrases to help you get by.

We also provide an iPod phrasebook with 100 useful travel phrases that you can drop into your iPod's notes application giving you an instant electronic phrasebook to carry with you.

Click here to download and listen to the guide. To save it, right click and choose Save Target As (16.8MB).

Click here to download the phrase book (text only).

Click here to download the phrase book (text and audio).

For those of you keen to have a written version of the guide, here is the script:

Scott: Salve! Quando Alilaguna?

Lucia: Salve, do you want to know when the next Alilaguna is arriving?

Scott: Ahh, yes, I thought that’s what I said….

Lucia: Sort of – I understood what you were trying to say – you were nearly there… you should say “quando arriva il prossimo Alilaguna – which is ‘when is the next Alilaguna arriving?’ and look, you can see it coming now.

Scott: Ah, I see. Are you going to Venice too?

Lucia: Yes, I live there. Is this your first visit?

Scott: Yes and I’m pretty excited – but my Italian is poor to say the very least….. I don’t suppose you’d like to help me with a few phrases while we’re on the boat?

Lucia: Si, sure why not. The trip takes about an hour and it is the best way to get to Venice – the view of Venice from the water is so beautiful – I always come home this way! Mi chiamo Lucia, piacere – this means ‘I am Lucia, pleased to meet you’. What phrases would you like to learn?

Scott: Ah, mi chiamo Scott, piacere! Well, first of all some greetings would be useful…. Oh and how do I ask what a persons name is?

Lucia: You say “Come si chiama?” and for greetings, I’m sure you’ve heard these, like you said, Salve is Hello, ciao means Hi, buongiorno is good morning, buonasera is good evening, buonanotte is good night, arrivederci is good bye and a presto is see you soon!

Scott: Ok, so Salve and Ciao are the easy ones, then in order buongiorno, buonasera and buonanotte, plus arrivederci and a presto!

Lucia: Molto bene– very good!

Scott: What about transport, I know this is the Alilaguna but what about bus, train, taxi and boat?

Lucia: Well, in Venice there are only two modes of transport – your feet or boat – there are no cars, buses or bikes! In Venice the best and cheapest way to get around is by Vaporetto this is a water-bus that goes all around the canals. There is also the traghetto which is a commuter Gondola that crosses the Grand Canal – this is a very cheap way to get a Gondola ride! Ok, so when you have left Venice and need a bus, train, taxi, you say autobus, treno, taxi and barca for boat.

Scott: Ok, so it looks like I’m going to need very comfortable and waterproof shoes! Good tip on the traghetto – thank you – how do I say this?

Lucia: You mean Grazie

Scott: Si, Grazie! And, what about proper gondolas and water taxi’s – are they easy to find?

Lucia: Of course, Venice is famous for its gondolas! And water taxi’s are everywhere and are a fast way to get around, but they can both be very expensive so make sure you negotiate the fare before you get in.

Scott: It sounds like I’ll be using the Vaporetto and the traghetto. How do I say ‘ticket’ and where do I buy them from?

Lucia: Ticket is biglietto and you buy tickets at the landing stop or at shops with the ACTV signs, if you are in Venice for a few days it is cheaper to buy a 3 day ticket, single tickets can be expensive.

Scott: Ok, so if I’m buying a 3 day ticket – how do I say today and tomorrow?

Lucia: Today is oggi, tomorrow is domani also yesterday is ieri and now is adesso

Scott: So in order, ieri, adesso, oggi, domani

Lucia: Si, molto bene!

Scott: Is ‘si’ yes? What about no?

Lucia: Si and no!

Scott: I can probably remember that. Now, I’m a very polite person so how do I say ‘please’ and ‘excuse me’?

Lucia: Ah, Si, you will need these. Per favore and scusi.

Scott: Si, per favore, scusi – Grazie! It sounds like I’m going to be on foot a lot while in Venice, so can you teach me some directions, how do I say “Where is?” and “Which way to?”

Lucia: Va bene - ok, so Where is – “Dov’è” and which way to “da quale parte si trova” – so you could say “scusi, dov’è….” and as you are so polite you shouldn’t forget to use Signore, Signora and Signorina.

Scott: Va bene, grazie signorina Lucia!

Lucia: Si, molto bene– but a little over the top no?

Scott: You can never be too polite can you?! Hey what about counting – how do I count to ten?

Lucia: Uno due tre quattro cinque sei sette otto nove dieci

Scott: Woah! Slow down – how do I say – “Please say that more slowly”

Lucia: Si, mi dispiace – I’m sorry – a little joke, You say Per favore lo dica più lentamente

Scott: So, per favore lo dica più lentamente.

Lucia: Si, uno due tre quattro cinque sei sette otto nove dieci

Scott: Ok, so I’ve got some numbers I can do some bargaining! Can you teach me how to say ‘how much’ and ‘may I see it’

Lucia: Well, you may have a tough time bargaining in the shops in Venice, but at the markets you will be able to try. ‘How much’ is “quanto?” and ‘May I see it’ is “posso vederlo?”

Scott: So, Quanto and “posso vederlo”. What about ‘too expensive?’

Lucia: In Summer in Venice you will use this phrase a lot, you say ‘troppo costoso’

Scott: Troppo costoso – I know, what about ‘I like this’ or ‘I don’t like this?’

Lucia: Si, mi piace and non mi piace but I think you will love everything in Venice – it is the most beautiful place in the world. Where are you staying?

Scott: I’ve booked a hostel near the Piazza San Marco for the first few nights and I thought I’d take a look around for a pensione. How do I say ‘Have you a room’ and ‘May I see it’

Lucia: There are some very good pensione’s in Venice, you will not have any trouble finding one to suit you. When you go in be your very polite self and say “Scusi, ha una stanza?” then “Posso vederla?”

Scott: Right so I might say something like, buongiono signore/signora, ha una stanza? Posso vederla per favore?

Lucia: Molto bene - eccellente!

Scott: Hey – what if I get eat something dodgy and need a doctor or the hospital – how do I say these?

Lucia: I’m sure you will be fine – the food is eccellente in Venice. But, in case, doctor is il medico and hospital is ospedale

Scott: Medico, ospedale. So I’m covered for illness, but what if I get into trouble or something happens to me, how do I say Police or Stop thief!

Lucia: You look like you could take care of yourself, but la polizia and “fermate il ladro”

Scott: La polizia – fermate il ladro. It may seem funny now, but you just never know and because you never know I have one last phrase I need translated… “Don’t shoot, those drugs aren’t mine!”

Lucia: I’m not sure what you have heard, but Venice isn’t really that kind of town – but “non sparate, quelle droghe non sono mie’”

Scott: Non sparate, quelle droghe non sono mie

Lucia: Hey, look over there you can see Venice – isn’t she beautiful!

Scott: Si – very beautiful! I can’t wait to get there and I don’t know about you, but I’d kill for a coffee – my first proper Italian coffee!

Lucia: Well, you are nearly there, so you can go to a café and enjoy one! Remember, you must order and pay at the cashier first, he will give you a receipt, take this to the bar and put a small coin on it to get attention. Then stand at the bar to drink it – unless of course you want to sit down – but this usually costs double!

Scott: Lucia, thank you for all your help! Ciao!