In this lesson we are going to learn how to ask for and give directions and nouns of some city places.
During this lesson you will listen to a dialogue and you will learn useful situational expressions. Then you will find easy grammar focuses and vocabulary. If it’s not enough, challenge yourself in our Open Class and talk to our teachers, it’s free!
Listen to this dialogue:
[ragazza] Buongiorno, mi scusi, vorrei andare in piazza Duomo.
[signore] Sì, è facile, deve andare sempre dritto e poi deve girare alla prima strada a destra.
[r.] Ah, grazie… ma è lontano?
[s.] No, sono circa 10 minuti a piedi, ma se vuole può prendere il tram: se attraversa la strada c’è la fermata del 33 che arriva in Duomo.
[r.] Ah, capisco, grazie mille!
[s.] Prego!
Situational Expressions
How to ask for directions
In Italy, when you are lost or you just want to ask for directions you only have to raise your hand to get people’s attention, then use one of the following sentences. In the first column there is a formal way to speak to elder or unknown people, in the second one there is the informal way to talk to a friend or a young passer-by. Too much difficult? Use the third column, it is both formal and informal.
| Formal | Informal | Formal and Informal |
| “mi scusi, vorrei andare in piazza Duomo” [vorrei+ infinitive + place] |
“scusa, vorrei andare in piazza Duomo” [vorrei + infinitive + place] |
“dov’è piazza Duomo?” [dov’è + place] “cerco piazza Duomo” [cerco + place] |
How to give directions
There are many ways to give directions, such the imperative forms of the verb andare (informal vai or va’ / formal vada) but these are usually irregulars: remember that you are now learning the basics, do not demand too much of yourself and make it easy. So by using the modal verb Dovere (to have to) you can add the infinitive of whatever verb you need whithout knowing the conjugation.
| Formal | Informal | Basic directions |
| deve andare dritto [deve + infinitive + direction] |
deve andare dritto [deve + infinitive + direction] |
diritto [go straight on] ↑ avanti [go on] ↑ a destra [go right] → a sinistra [go left] ← indietro [go back] ↓ |
Focus on Grammar
Modal verbs
Three very important verbs are the so-called modal verbs. They are used in many situations and they are very helpful, because they avoid you to study massive amount of conjugations. First one is Dovere (must / to have to) which always implies a meaning of necessity and is always followed by infinitive. Alike dovere, Potere (can / to be able to / may) which implies a meaning of possibility. Then, Volere (to want to), meaning volition, can be followed by infinitive or a noun, for example, “voglio andare a casa”, “voglio un caffè”. Remember that the first person singular of the present tens of volere is voglio, but if you have a request to make, it is better and more polite use the conditional tens, vorrei. Let’s see the entire conjugations of these irregular but helpful verbs.
| Dovere | Potere | Volere |
| io devo tu devi lui / lei / Lei deve noi dobbiamo voi dovete loro devono |
io posso tu puoi lui / lei / Lei può noi possiamo voi potete loro possono |
io voglio (vorrei) tu vuoi lui / lei / Lei vuole noi vogliamo voi volete loro vogliono |
C’è / Ci sono
Another commonly used structure in Italian is C’è / Ci sono which mean there is there are and can be reffered to people (chi) or things (cosa). C’è is followed by a singular noun, ci sono is followed by plural nouns or two or more singular nouns.
| Questions | C’è | Ci sono |
| Cosa c’è?
Chi c’è?
|
c’è + [singular noun]
“cosa c’è a Milano?” |
ci sono + [plural noun]
“cosa c’è a Milano?” |
Singular and Plural Nouns
Italian has a different ending when a noun is singular or plural. There are a lot of exceptions but for the moment remember these important changes. Usually masculine nouns in – o make the plura in – i, feminine nouns ending in – a have the plural in – e. The third group of nouns made of both masculine and feminine singular nouns in – e makes the plural in – i.
| Masculine singular nouns in -o | Masculine plural nouns in – i |
| posto | posti |
| Feminine singular nouns in – a | Feminine plural nouns in – e |
| piazza | piazze |
| Masculine / Feminine singular nouns in – e | Masculine / Feminine plural nouns in – i |
| ristorante
stazione |
ristoranti
stazioni |
Vocabulary
Essential Italian vocabulary about directions and public places
Here the main words you need to know to understand or give directions and move through a city.
| Directions |
| in fondo = down / at the bottom attraversare = to cross incrocio = crossroad di fronte = in front of davanti = ahead all’angolo= at the corner alla prima traversa = to the first street alla seconda via = to the second street girare = to turn tornare indietro = to go back |
| Landmarks / public places |
| l’ospedale = the hospital il cinema = the cinema la posta = the post office il ristorante = the restaurant il bar = the bar il museo = the museum la piazza = the square la via = the street il corso / il viale = the boulevard la strada = the road |
| Transitions words |
| poi, dopo = then / after / next quando arrivi (tu) = when you get to quando arriva (Lei) = when you get to alla fine = finally |
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