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50 most common Italian words

The words no Italian conversation can do without: to be, to have, to do, yes, no, thank you. Each comes with IPA, a translation and an example you can listen to — and three exercises at the end to make them stick.

  • 50 words
  • Audio and IPA
  • An example for every word
  • 3 exercises
  • No sign-up
To the wordsPractice

Why start with these words

A small set of words — articles, pronouns, a few verbs and prepositions — turns up in almost every Italian sentence. Learn them and you’ll recognise the backbone of a sentence even in an unfamiliar text.

Italian is read almost exactly as it’s written, so learn the stress with each word: grazie, adesso, perché. Know essere, avere and fare in every present-tense form.

Word list

The words are in order of frequency: the first ones are the most common. Tap a word or an example to hear it.

Speed
  1. to be
  2. the
  3. to have
  4. not
  5. and
  6. of
  7. a, an; one
  8. that; what
  9. I
  10. you (informal)
  11. to, at
  12. in
  13. for
  14. with
  15. yes
  16. no
  17. to do, to make
  18. to go
  19. to want
  20. can, to be able to
  21. must, to have to
  22. to say, to tell
  23. to know
  24. to see
  25. to be, to stay
  26. this
  27. well, fine
  28. very; a lot
  29. thank you
  30. hi; bye
  31. you’re welcome
  32. excuse me
  33. where
  34. how
  35. when
  36. why; because
  37. what; thing
  38. here
  39. now
  40. today
  41. tomorrow
  42. everything, all
  43. also, too
  44. but
  45. house, home
  46. time; weather
  47. day
  48. friend
  49. to like; pleased to meet you
  50. always

Practice: test yourself

10 words from the list per round. After every answer you hear the word and the right option lights up.

Choose an exercise

How to remember the words

  • 10 words a day: listen, repeat aloud and do the “Translate” exercise.
  • Learn the examples as a whole: “Non lo so”, “Come stai?” — ready-made phrases stick better than single words.
  • Come back to the exercises after a day and after a week — spaced repetition makes words stick.
  • Learn nouns with their article: la casa, il tempo — that way you remember the gender.

FAQ

Didn’t find your answer? Send us a request — we’ll tell you everything.

Where does this list come from?

We used frequency dictionaries based on film and TV subtitles — the closest thing to real spoken language. Forms of one word are grouped together, and words too early for a beginner to learn on their own are replaced by the most useful ones in conversation: thank you, hello, excuse me.

Are 50 words enough to speak?

No, but they’re a solid base: these words make up a noticeable part of any text. Next come 300–500 words by topic (food, the city, work) and basic grammar.

What’s the difference between tu and Lei?

Tu is “you” for friends and family; Lei is the polite “you” for strangers, with a 3rd-person verb: Come sta? (How are you, formal) — Come stai? (informal).

How fast can I learn these words?

In a week, if you learn 7–10 words a day and review them with the exercises. The key is coming back to them a few days later.

What’s next

Next step

Keep learning with a mini-course

Short online courses by Slay School teachers: a 15-minute lesson a day with audio, exercises and dialogues, and the words you forget come back on their own.

  • Day 1 is free
  • 15 minutes a day, at your own pace
  • Every word has audio
  • Lifetime access once paid
Start for freeAll mini-courses

All you need to start is an email or a Google account.