Tourist Dictionary
"What is this strange language?!"
To help our British guests feel more at home (back) in EU territory, here are some helpful translations for words you may come across during our wedding!
What are these places and how do I pronounce them (sorta)?
Piombino: “PEE-YOM-BEE-NO” – Alessandra’s hometown
Roselle: “RO-SELL-LEH” – Village where the wedding will take place
Le Tre Fonti: “LEH TREH FONT-EE” – Wedding venue
Firenze: “FEE-REN-ZEH” – aka FLORENCE, capital city of Tuscany
Wedding Words
The wedding – il matrimonio = “MA-TREE-MO-KNEE-OH”
The bride – la sposa = “SPO-ZA”
The groom – lo sposo = “SPO-ZO”
The newlyweds – gli sposi = “LEE SPO-SEE”
“Viva gli sposi!” – a popular toast at Italian weddings (literal translation, “long live the newlyweds”)
The wife – la moglie = “MOL-LEE-EH
The husband – il marito = “MA-REE-TO”
Coach (i.e. method of transport to and from the wedding) – il pullman = “PULL-MAN”
to dance – ballare = “BA-LAH-REH”
“let’s dance!” – “balliamo!” = “BA-LEE-AH-MO!”
Today – oggi = “OHH-JEE” (like saying the word ‘on’ in English)
Saturday – sabato = “SAB-AT-OH”
Tonight – stasera = “STAH-SARAH”
Dinner – la cena = “CHE-NAH”
Cake – la torta = “TOR-TAH”
Food – il cibo = “CHEE-BOH”
Drink – la bevanda = “BEV-AND-AH”
“Cheers” (i.e. when toasting) – “Salute” = “SA-LU-TEH”
Drunk – ubriaco (of a man) ubriaco (of a woman) = “OOH-BRI-AH-CO” / “OOH-BRI-AH-KA” …..
Other useful phrases
“Do you speak English?” – “Scusi, parla inglese?” = “SKUZEE PAR-LAH IN-GLEH-SEH?”
“My name is” – “Mi chiamo” = “ME KEY-AH-MO”
“How do you say…?” – “Come si dice…?” = “KOH-MEH SEE DEECH-EH