Let's face it. When you get to Italy, you're probably going to spend the better part of your days eating as much of that delicious, delicious Italian cuisine. From pasta to prosciutto, there are countless delightful delicacies to taste test. And to help you try as many as you possibly can, here are a few helpful Italian foodie phrases ...
Did you know there are more than 600 pasta shapes produced around the world?
The Useful Stuff:
Ciao – Hello
Come stai? – How are you?
Grazie – Thank you
No – No
Per favore – Please
Prego – You're welcome
Si – Yes
Sto bene – I'm fine
Pizza originated in Naples in 1889
The Restaurant Stuff:
Bon appetito – Have a good meal
Potrei vedere il menu? – May I see the menu?
Un tavolo per una/due/quattro persona, per favore – A table for one/two/four people, please
Un litro di vino della casa, per favore – A litre of house red, please
Cosa ci consiglia? – What would you recommend?
Puo portarci il conto, per favore? – May we have the check please?
There are approximately 20 different regions in Italy, each with its own unique cuisine
The Delicious Stuff:
Al dente – Pasta cooked but firm to the bite
Antipasti – Italian hors d'oeuvre of mixed meats, marinated ingredients, salads or hot dishes
Arancini – A dish or stuffed rice balls that are coated in breadcrumbs and fried.
Bresaola – Air-dried salted beef
Caffe – An espresso
Cena –Dinner
Cioccolato – Chocolate
Colazione – Breakfast
Foccacia di Recco – A very thin, flat bread filled with cheese
Frico – Fried cheese
Fritti – Fried
Funghi – Mushrooms
Gelato – Italian ice cream
Grissini – Breadsticks
Osso buco alla Milanese – Veal shanks braised in white wine and served over vegetables
Pane – Bread
Panino – An Italian sandwich
Panini – More than one Italian sandwich
Pizza Margherita – A style of pizza originating in Naples served on a crispy, thin crust topped with olive oil, garlic, basil, tomatoes, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Porchetta – Spit-roasted stuffed pig
Pranzo – Lunch
Prosciutto – Italian dry-cured ham
Ribollita – A traditional Tuscan stew made of various veggies and bread
Romano – In the style of Rome
Rosso/biano – Red/white (wine)
Torrone – Italian nougat with toasted nuts and citrus zest
Torta – Cake
Vino – Wine
The estimated annual pasta consumption in Italy is estimated at 30 kilos per person
The Fun Stuff:
Sono pieno come un uovo – Literally translated, this expression means 'I'm full as an egg'. It's an expression used to express you're overstuffed.
Fare una spaghettata – The literal translation of this one means to eat spaghetti, but Italians often use it to say let's get together and eat!
Conosco i miei polli – This phrase literally means 'I know my chicken', but it's used to say 'I know my stuff'.
Non fare il salame – This one literally means don't act like salami, but it really means don't be a ham, you idiot!
Non puoi avre la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca – Word for word, this phrase means 'you can't have a full wine barrel and a drunk wife', meaning something along the lines of you can't have your cake and eat it too.
