George A. Says:
Do I need to speak Italian to live or travel in Italy?
IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says:
Hi George,
Italy is not Denmark or the Netherlands—unlike the people in those European countries, relatively few Italians speak English fluently.
But all large hotels have multilingual reception staff, and you can find an abundance of English-speaking lawyers, doctors, and realtors in cities with large expat communities, such as Rome and Florence.
So traveling or living in Italy is possible without perfect Italian.
The farther away you get from the big cities and international tourist centers, the trickier the situation becomes. While you’ll almost always find that people have at least basic English skills, you are going to have a lonely time if you can’t speak any Italian.
You’ll find that if you at least try to speak the local language, you’ll be treated with much more respect than someone who doesn’t make the effort. Those who try are often rewarded with extra-special attention.
Italians are patient with non-native speakers and usually do their best to understand and help visitors.
You’ll find a handy guide to speaking Italian in Chapter 2 of our Escape to Italy guidebook.
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