When I was in my early twenties I spent 3 months travelling by foot, bus, train, and facendo l’autostop (hitch hiking) around the UK and mainland Europe. At that time I was pretty much monolingual, and yet I managed to successfully navigate myself through at least ten non-English speaking countries without too many problems, before finally ending up in Portugal. I arrived in Coimbra, Portugal in 1984, alone, and with only my little rucksack containing a toothbrush and change of clothes on my back. By the time I left Portugal, roughly three months later, I had begun to acquire my first ‘second language’ (does that make sense?), and met my first wife … but that’s another story …

When I look back on those days I often ask myself: “how did I manage?” Well, I guess I used the tactics that most of us use when we arrive in a country where we don’t speak the language: I smiled a lot, pointed a lot, nodded and shook my head a lot, and where possible always tried to add in at least one word in the local language … “kali̱méra” … “bonjour” … “gutten morgen” ….

But there comes a time when those primitive strategies don’t suffice or satisfy any more. Some of us, such as you dear readers, feel the need to move beyond those superficial encounters. And hence, we study languages.
Let’s take a look at a few simple scenarios in which you need to ask for directions in Italian. Today, we’ll concentrate on some rather generic questions, and in part two we’ll deal with the even more complicated topic of understanding the replies.

1. Finding a Toilet:

scusi, c’è un bagno/una toilette/un gabinetto qui vicino? = excuse me, is there a toilet nearby?
scusi, dov’è il bagno/la toilette/il gabinetto per favore? = excuse me, where is the toilet please?
N.B. Public toilets are often few and far between in Italy, therefore you’ll find that your only option is going to a bar and using theirs, in which case you’ll need to ask: scusi, posso usare il bagno/la toilette/il gabinetto per favore? = excuse me, can I use the toilet please? Of course, it’s more polite if you also order something.

2. Finding the Railway Station or a Bus

scusi, dov’è la stazione per favore? = excuse me, where is the railway station please?
scusi, mi può dire come arrivare alla stazione per favore? = excuse me, can you tell me how to get to the railway station please?
If you are looking for the bus station then you’ll need to ask for la stazione degli autobus
You may also want ask for la fermata dell’autobus = the bus stop, e.g.
scusi, dov’è la fermata dell’autobus per favore? = excuse me, where is the bus stop please?

3. Finding a Museum/Gallery/Monument etc.

Russell Crowe demonstrates how NOT to ask for directions in Italian

scusi, come si arriva all’anfiteatro per favore? = excuse me, how do you get (literally: how does one arrive) to the amphitheatre please?
scusi, quanto dista il duomo? = excuse me, how far is it to the Cathedral?
scusi, dove si trova La Pinacoteca Nazionale per favore? = excuse me, where is the National Art Gallery please?

4. Finding Your Lodgings

scusi, mi può dire dove si trova L’Hotel Napoleone per piacere? = excuse me, can you tell me where the Hotel Napoleon is please?
scusi, come arrivo all’Albergo Universo per favore? = excuse me, how do I get to the Albergo Universo please?
scusi, dove si trova l’ostello della gioventù per piacere? = excuse me, where is the youth hostel please?

Summary and Notes

scusi is the third person singular subjunctive (polite form) of scusare = to excuse. You will need to use scusate (plural) when addressing more than one person.

c’è  = is there

ci sono = are there

mi può dire = can you tell me, you will want to use mi potete dire (plural) if speaking to more than one person

dov’è = where is (composed of the words dove = where, and è = is)

dove sono = where are

dove si trova = where is (literally: where does one find)

come si arriva = how do you get to (literally: how does one arrive at)

come arrivo a = how do you I get to (literally: how do I arrive at)

quanto dista = how far is it

coming soon …. the replies.