What to say when you want to ask for information and you only have a few basic notions of Italian? How to ask, for example, where is via Roma?
Here the answer:
“Senta, per favore, dove è via Roma?”
or
“Mi scusi, per favore, sa dove è via Roma?”
Or again:
“Buongiorno, per favore, dove è via Roma?”
Here another valid formula, to use, for example, if you enter a shop to ask where via Roma is.
“Excuse me where is via Roma?” becomes: “Scusi, per favore, vorrei una informazione, mi sa dire dove è via Roma?”
But, if asking the question can be difficult, understanding the answer can be even more difficult.
So here’s what to say in case of difficulty, if you want to ask somebody to repeat the answer more slowly:
“Scusi, non ho capito, può ripetere più lentamente?”
Or:
“Ho capito bene? Devo prendere la prima via a sinistra e poi a destra?
(“Did I understand correctly? Do I go immediately left and then right?”)
At this point of the conversation, it would be hard to find someone who doesn’t smile to you and lend a helping hand repeating the indication and perhaps helping you with gestures. The famous gestures used by the Italians.