| Ti piace viaggiare in aereo? | Do you like flying? |
| Ti piace viaggiare da sola? | Do you like travelling by yourself? |
| Le piace questa regione? | Do You like this area? |
| Le piacciono i viaggi organizzati? | Do You like organized tours? |
If you want to say what you prefer, use preferisco (I prefer) or preferirei (I’d prefer). These come from the verb preferire (to prefer). For more information on -ire verbs like preferire, see here.
I prefer to…
| Preferisco viaggiare in aereo. | I prefer to fly. |
| Preferisco prendere l’autostrada. | I prefer to go on the motorway. |
I’d rather…
| Preferirei viaggiare col bel tempo. | I’d rather make the journey in good weather. |
| Preferirei sedermi vicino al finestrino. | I’d rather sit next to the window. |
| Preferirei non lasciare qui la mia macchina. | I’d rather not leave my car here. |
| Preferiremmo guidare di giorno. | We’d rather drive in the daytime. |
Here are some key phrases which you are likely to hear when you’re travelling about.
| Prossima fermata: … | Next stop: … |
| Il treno diretto per Bologna centrale parte dal binario tre. | The train for Bologna centrale leaves from platform three. |
| Si deve convalidare il biglietto in stazione. | You must stamp your ticket at the station. |
| Biglietto, prego. | Ticket, please. |
| Le dispiace se mi siedo qui? | Do you mind if I sit here? |
| Continui dritto fino al semaforo. | Go straight on till You get to the traffic lights. |
| Prenda la seconda a sinistra. | Take the second turning on the left. |
| È difronte alla cattedrale. | It’s opposite the cathedral. |
| È vicinissimo. | It’s very near. |
| Ha sbagliato strada. | You’ve gone the wrong way. |
| Ci si può andare a piedi. | It’s within walking distance. |
| È fra tre fermate. | It’s three stops from here. |
| Imbarco immediato, uscita 3. | Now boarding at gate 3. |
• If you’re behind the wheel of a car, be ready to produce your driving licence if asked for it by the police. If you haven’t got it with you, you may well be fined. The police officer might ask you: patente, prego (your driving licence, please). Italian drivers also have to be able to produce their libretto di circolazione (registration document) and their assicurazione (insurance certificate).
• Motorways are not free in Italy. When you go onto the motorway, you get a biglietto. When you come off the motorway this will show how many kilometres you’ve driven and how much you have to pay (il pedaggio). Telepass is an electronic toll collection system used to collect il pedaggio and gives access to reserved lanes.
• If you’re asked to produce your biglietto on the bus, the train or the underground, it means that you have to show your ticket to the inspector.
• Generally, you have to buy your ticket before getting on a bus. Once on board the bus, you date-stamp the ticket by punching it in a machine. You can buy tickets at newsagents and many tobacconists. If you are staying in a place for some time, it may be worth buying an abbonamento, which will last a week or a month from when it is first stamped.
• Train tickets need to be punched before you get on a train. Tickets are only valid if date-stamped, so if you have forgotten to do this, it is advisable to go and see il controllore (the ticket inspector) as soon as possible, or you might be fined.
• If you’re in a hurry, you can hop on the train and buy a ticket directly from a ticket inspector. This will cost you more, however. If you contact the inspector as soon as you get on the train or before the first stop the fine is around 5 €; otherwise you’ll be faced with a more expensive fine of 60 € or more.
• Queues tend to be informal in Italy. So if you’re trying to get to an information desk and don’t know if it’s your turn, just ask Tocca a me?. If you want to let someone in before you, you can say prego, dopo di lei (after you).
If you’re going to stay in Italy, the phrases in this unit will provide you with the language you need to help you find the sort of accommodation you want and ensure everything is to your satisfaction when you’re there. We’ll also give you a few tips on what the receptionist or your landlord or landlady may say to you.
To say what kind of accommodation you want in Italian, use vorrei (I’d like), or, if you want to be slightly more direct, voglio (I want). These come from the verb volere (to want). For more information on volere, see here.
I’d like…
| Vorrei una stanza con balcone. | I’d like a room with a balcony. |
| Vorrei prenotare una camera doppia per due notti. | I’d like to book a double room for two nights. |
| Vorrei fermarmi tre notti. | I’d like to stay three nights. |
| Vorrei prenotare una stanza nel vostro agriturismo per due settimane. | I’d like to book a room in your agriturismo for two weeks. |
I want…
| Voglio un appartamento luminoso. | I want a flat with plenty of light. |
| Voglio cambiare stanza; quella che mi avete dato è troppo rumorosa. | I want to change rooms; the one you gave me is too noisy. |
| Voglio un rimborso. | I want a refund. |
| Non vogliamo una stanza che dia sulla strada. | We don’t want a room overlooking the road. |
When you want to find out if something is available, use Avete…? (Do you have…?) or
