OK. Admit it. You know the basic phrases such as buon giorno (good day), come sta (how are you?), and parla inglese (do you speak English?) as well as saying the ABCs. However, what about words that make driving and navigating Italian roads easier (and more safe)?
Let's start with a few directional words:
- Sinistra (see-nee-strah) - Left
- Destra (dehs-trah) - Right
- Nord (nord) - North
- Sud (sood) - South
- Est (ayst) - East
- Ovest (oh-vehst) - West
- Centro - Center of Town
- Entrata - Entrance
- Uscita - Exit
- Zona Pedonale - Pedestrian Zone
- Senso Unico - One-Way Street
- Rallentare - Slow Down
- Lavori In Corso - Road Work Ahead
- Deviazione - Detour
- Attenzione - Caution
- Entrata Vietata - No Entry
- Parcheggio - Parking
- Parcheggio Vietato - No Parking
- Vietato l'Accesso - Keep Out
- Benzinaio (baynd-zee-nah-yoh) - Gas Station
- Servizio (sehr-veed-zee-oh) - Service
- Il Pieno (eel pee-ay-noh) - Fill the Tank
- Benzina (baynd-zee-nah) - Gas
- Normale (nor-mah-lay) - Regular
- Super (soo-pehr) - Super
- Gasolio (gah-zoh-lee-oh) _ Diesel
Having a strong vocabulary of "driving" words will go a long way in keeping you from trouble with the carabinieri (police).
Buon viaggio!
