The Iceberg Project Italian

The Iceberg Project was created from a desire to travel to Italy & speak the language with ease, comfort and confidence. Now, you'll find addictive language & culture lessons for students eager to become conversational in Italian.

Useful Phrases to Say When You Freeze and Forget How to Speak Italian

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Useful Phrases to Say When You Freeze and Forget How to Speak Italian

  • Non ho capito. – I didn’t understand.
  • Scusi/a, può / puoi ripetere per favore? – Excuse me, but can you repeat that please?
  • Può / puoi ripetere per favore, ma più piano? – Can you repeat please but more slowly?
  • C’e una parola che non ho capito. Cosa significa (pane)? – There’s a word I didn’t understand. What does (pane) mean?
  • Cioè? – That is? Which means?
  • Sono confuso/a. – I’m confused.
  • Non ti seguo. – I’m not following (what you said).
  • Mi sono perso/a. – I’m lost.
  • Ho perso il filo (del discorso). – I lost the thread. (I lost my train of thought.)
  • Che cosa intendevi/a? – What did you mean?
  • Non mi viene (la parola). – The word isn’t coming to me
  • Non mi viene in mente. – It doesn’t come to mind (a word or phrase doesn’t come to mind).
  • Un attimo. Fammi pensare. – One moment. Let me think.
  • Non mi ricordo come si dice… – I don’t remember how do you say… note: the verb, ricordare (ricordarsi) is reflexive).
  • Come si dice “[jacket]” in Italiano? – How do you say “[foreign term]” in Italian? (Only if the other person knows the foreign language as well, of course.
  • Ho dimenticato la parola! – I forgot the word.
  • Devo pensare un secondo. – I need to think for a second.
  • Aspetta un attimo. – Wait a second.
  • Mi scordo. – I don’t remember (present tense).

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Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show, to Patreon supporters for helping fund the show, and to the lovely Timarie Harrison for putting all of the pieces together. It takes a village.

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