Collins Dictionaries - Collins italian phrasebook and dictionary gem edition - essential phrases a

HarperCollins Publishers

Westerhill Road

Bishopbriggs

Glasgow G64 2QT

Fourth Edition 2016

HarperCollins Publishers 1993, 2007, 2010, 2016

Source ISBN: 9780008135911

Ebook Edition March 2016 ISBN: 9780008163488

Version: 2016-03-01

Collins and Collins Gem are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers Limited

www.collinsdictionary.com

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

Entered words that we have reason to believe constitute trademarks have been designated as such. However, neither the presence nor absence of such designation should be regarded as affecting the legal status of any trademark.

The contents of this publication are believed correct at the time of creation. Nevertheless the Publisher can accept no responsibility for errors or omissions, changes in the detail given or for any expense or loss thereby caused.

HarperCollins does not warrant that any website mentioned in this title will be provided uninterrupted, that any website will be error free, that defects will be corrected, or that the website or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or bugs. For full terms and conditions please refer to the site terms provided on the website.

We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in the Collins Corpus. We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing valuable data.

If you would like to comment on any aspect of this book, please contact us at the given address or online.

E-mail:

facebook.com/collinsdictionary

@collinsdict

Editor

Holly Tarbet

Contributors

Mirella Alessio

Donald Watt

David White

For the Publisher

Gerry Breslin

Janice McNeillie

Helen Newstead

Australia

HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.

Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street

Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

www.harpercollins.com.au

Canada

HarperCollins Canada

2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor

Toronto, ON M4W 1A8, Canada

www.harpercollins.ca

New Zealand

HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand

Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive

Rosedale 0632

Auckland, New Zealand

www.harpercollins.co.nz

United Kingdom

HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF, UK

www.harpercollins.co.uk

United States

HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

195 Broadway

New York, NY 10007

www.harpercollins.com

Whether youre on holiday or on business, your Collins Gem Phrasebook and Dictionary is designed to help you locate the exact phrase you need, when you need it. Youll also gain the confidence to go beyond what is in the book, as you can adapt the phrases by using the dictionary section to substitute your own words.

The Gem Phrasebook and Dictionary includes:

Over 60 topics arranged thematically, so that you can easily find an expression to suit the situation

Simple pronunciation which accompanies each word and phrase, to make sure you are understood when speaking aloud

Tips to safeguard against any cultural faux pas, providing the essential dos and donts of local customs or etiquette

A basic grammar section which will help you to build on your phrases

FACE TO FACE dialogue sections to give you a flavour of what to expect from a real conversation

A handy map of the country which shows the major cities and how to pronounce them

YOU MAY HEAR sections for common announcements and messages, so that you dont miss important information when out and about

A user-friendly 3000 word dictionary to ensure youll never be stuck for something to say

A short chapter of LIFELINE phrases for quick reference. These basic words and phrases will be essential to your time abroad

Before you jet off, its worth spending time looking through the topics to see what is covered and becoming familiar with pronunciation.

Contents

Spelling and pronouncing Italian are easy once you know the few basic rules. This book has been designed so that as you read the pronunciation of the phrases, you can follow the Italian. This will help you to recognize how Italian is pronounced and give you a feeling for the rhythm of the language. Here are a few rules you should know:

* c and g are hard except when followed by e or i to make them hard in Italian an h is added.

Double letters ss , tt , ll , etc. are pronounced separately with a slight pause between the two:

posso pos-so, gatto gat-to, pelle pel-lay.

Stress usually falls on the penultimate syllable. We have indicated the stressed syllable with bold in the pronunciation of the phrases.

Shorts in towns and cities are not always acceptable in public. It depends how formal the occasion is. Under no circumstances should you have a bare torso. At the beach, both are fine.

You will not be admitted to the Vatican museums and many churches if you are wearing a miniskirt, hot-pants or a sleeveless top.

Italians are genuinely interested and curious about other people, so dont be surprised or put out by small talk by strangers.

Ladies first is a MUST.

In a public, enclosed space such as a lift, it is polite to acknowledge other people by saying Buongiorno or Buonasera .

Do not use the familiar tu form with waiters, shop assistants or hotel staff, however young.

In restaurants, wait until everyone has been served before you start eating. When the first course is pasta or pizza, you dont have to wait!

When you get introduced to an adult, you have to shake hands; kissing is only for friends.

When addressing your elders or people you have just been introduced to, use the formal Lei mode of address until they ask you to use the tu form.

You will rarely see cappuccino ordered at any time other than breakfast.