How to Make Small Talk in Italian: Tips, Topics, and Phrases
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Being able to converse naturally about something simple, like your hobbies or the weather, is a key skill to have if you are learning Italian.
Here is our guide to small talk in Italian, with conversation starters, useful questions, useful vocabulary and topics to avoid.
What’s small talk?
Commonly used when you are talking to someone you don’t know very well, small talk (parlare del più e del meno in Italian) is light, informal, general conversation. It not only helps build the foundation for longer conversations, but is also a great way to practice your target language.
You can make small talk, or chit-chat, pretty much any time you and your conversation partner are gathered in one location, and aren’t already talking about something.
The best small talk topics
Weather, hobbies and shared surroundings are often useful starting points. People differ in what they enjoy discussing, so notice their response and change topic if they seem uninterested.
Let’s have a look at the best small talk topics.
The Weather
Weather is the ultimate small talk topic. Here are some handy phrases and vocabulary to use when talking about the weather:
| Sole | Sun |
| Pioggia | Rain |
| Grandine | Hail |
| Vento | Wind |
| Neve | Snow |
| Ondata di caldo, ondata di calore | Heatwave |
| Luna | Moon |
| Ghiaccio | Ice |
| Afa | Suffocating heat, stifling heat |
| Caldo | Hot |
| Freddo | Cold |
| Fresco | Cool |
| Nuvoloso | Cloudy, overcast |
| Sereno | Clear (of the sky) |
| Umido | Humid |
| Temporale | Thunderstorm |
| Nuvola | Cloud |
| Arcobaleno | Rainbow |
| Lampo | Flash of lightning |
| Fulmine | Lightning bolt (thunder: tuono) |
| Tromba d’aria | Tornado, whirlwind |
| Stelle | Stars |
This is the most basic of the weather-related vocabulary, but it forms the basis for all weather-related conversations.
The Day
If you are not sure what topic to talk about, you can simply ask someone about their day. You can ask them:
| Cosa hai fatto di bello oggi? | What have you been doing today? |
| Com’è andata la giornata? | How was your day? / How has your day been so far? |
| Cosa hai fatto di bello nel weekend? | How was your weekend? |
| Novità? | What’s new? |
| Cosa fai di bello stasera? | Do you have any interesting plans for the evening? |
The most important thing is to keep a perfect balance of talking and listening. Relax, be yourself and let the conversation happen naturally, instead of asking rapid-fire questions like a list, and don’t just talk about yourself the entire time.
Carefully listen to your conversation partner, always follow up and provide a thoughtful response. If you smile and show interest, you will set a positive tone for future interactions.
Free time, hobbies and interests
| Cosa ti piace fare nel tempo libero? | What do you like doing in your free time? |
| Cosa fai nel tempo libero? | What do you do in your free time? |
| Quali sono i tuoi interessi? | What are your interests? |
When meeting a new person in Italy you may be asked these questions. Talking about free time and hobbies is a very good way to start a conversation, and find things in common.
Ask about the other person’s interests, and you will get the chance to connect with them on a deeper level.
Note that in Italian the word hobby stays unchanged in the plural. As with other words of foreign origin, you don’t have to add an “s” at the end of it, only the article changes. For example:
| Quali sono i tuoi hobby? | What are your hobbies? |
| Hai qualche hobby? | Do you have any hobbies? |
| Suoni qualche strumento musicale? | Do you play any musical instruments? |
Here is a list of the most common hobbies:
| Andare a teatro | to go to the theatre |
| Andare al cinema | to go to the movies, to go to the cinema |
| Andare in bicicletta | to go for a bike ride |
| Ascoltare musica | to listen to music |
| Leggere | to read |
| Guardare la televisione | to watch TV |
| Suonare il basso, il sassofono, etc. | to play the bass guitar, the saxophone, etc. |
| Ballare | to dance |
| Passeggiare | to walk |
| Disegnare | to draw |
| Cantare | to sing |
| Uscire con gli amici | to go out with friends |
| Fare fotografie | to take photos |
| Fare shopping | to go shopping |
Sports
Sports can be a good topic if the other person follows them. You could ask:
| Pratichi qualche sport? / Pratichi degli sport? | Do you do any sports? |
In Italian, sports are expressed with:
- fare (to do) or praticare (to practice);
- giocare (to play).
Giocare a is common with ball games, including individual sports such as tennis and golf: giocare a calcio, giocare a tennis. Fare and praticare are also used with many sports: fare nuoto, praticare il ciclismo.
Here is a list of the most common team sports:
| Calcio | Football, soccer |
| Pallavolo | Volleyball |
| Pallacanestro | Basketball |
| Rugby | Rugby |
| Baseball | Baseball |
| Softball | Softball |
| Hockey su ghiaccio | Ice hockey |
| Hockey su prato | Field hockey |
| Pallamano | Handball |
| Pallanuoto | Water polo |
Individual sports:
| Nuoto | Swimming |
| Equitazione | Horseback riding |
| Tiro con l’arco | Archery |
| Ginnastica artistica | Artistic gymnastics |
| Atletica leggera | Track and field athletics |
| Ciclismo | Cycling |
| Sport nautici (windsurf, vela, ecc.) | Water sports (windsurfing, sailing, etc. ) |
| Sci | Skiing |
| Pugilato | Boxing |
| Golf | Golf |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| Automobilismo | Auto racing |
| Motociclismo | Motorcycle sport |
| Arti marziali | Martial arts |
| Danza classica | Classical ballet, ballet |
| Danza moderna | Modern dance (contemporary dance: danza contemporanea) |
| Danza del ventre | Belly dance, belly dancing |
| Pattinaggio a rotelle | Roller skating |
| Pattinaggio su ghiaccio | Ice skating |
| Alpinismo | Mountaineering |
| Arrampicata | Climbing |
| Culturismo | Bodybuilding |
| Canottaggio | Rowing |
| Corsa | Running, jogging |
Football is popular in Italy, but not everyone follows it. If your conversation partner is interested, these phrases may help:
| Per che squadra tifi? / Per che squadra tieni? | Which team do you root for? / Who’s your team? |
| Che gol! | What a goal! |
| Che parata! | What a save! |
| Chi è più forte? Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimović or Leo Messi? | Who is better? Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimović or Leo Messi? |
| Non segna neanche a porta vuota! | He couldn’t score in front of an open goal! |
| Calcio di rigore | penalty |
| Calcio d’angolo | corner |
| Fuorigioco | offside |
| Fallo | foul |
| Cartellino giallo/rosso | yellow/red card |
| Calcio di punizione | free-kick |
| Il primo/secondo tempo | first/second half |
Player’s role
| Portiere | goalkeeper |
| Difensore | defender |
| Centrocampista | midfielder |
| Centravanti | center forward |
| Attaccante | forward |
| Capitano | captain |
| Allenatore | coach |
In the stadium
| Stadio | stadium |
| Tifosi | supporters |
| Porta | Goal |
| Arbitro | referee |
| Campo | pitch |
| La curva | Curved or end stand, often behind a goal |
| La tribuna | Main or grandstand; layout varies by stadium |
Work
Work can be a useful topic when the other person seems comfortable discussing it. These questions use informal tu; with someone you address formally, use Lei, for example Che lavoro fa?
| Che lavoro fai? / Di cosa ti occupi? | What’s your job? |
| Dove lavori? | Where do you work? |
| Da quanto lavori lì? | How long have you worked there? |
| Ti piace il tuo lavoro? | Do you like your job? |
Then move on to open-ended questions, which can spark longer and richer discussions and nudge the conversation into deeper, more authentic territory. Here are a few examples:
| Cosa ti piace di più del tuo lavoro? | What do you like most about your job? |
| Cosa ti ha portato a scegliere di lavorare nel settore X? | Why did you decide to work in X field? |
| Quali competenze usi di più nel tuo lavoro? | Which skills do you use the most in your work? |
Travel
Many of the greatest memories and experiences in people’s lives come from traveling. People love talking about places they have explored. Here are some useful questions:
| Quanti Paesi hai visitato finora? | How many countries have you visited so far? |
| Hai mai fatto un viaggio da solo? | Have you ever traveled by yourself? |
| Qual è stata la parte più interessante delle tue vacanze? | What was the most interesting part of your vacations? |
| Dove ti piacerebbe vivere? Perché? | Where in the world would you love to live most? Why? |
Your country or hometown
Talking about your hometown or country is useful for your conversational Italian.
Here are some phrases and expressions that will make awkward small talk much easier:
| È una grande città | It’s a big city |
| È un paesino | It’s a tiny town |
| Nord | north |
| Ovest | west |
| Sud | south |
| Est | east |
| È molto… | It’s really… |
| … verde | green |
| … piccolo | small |
| …particolare | peculiar / interesting |
Useful questions:
| Di dove sei? | Where are you from? |
| Com’è il tuo paese? È diverso da qui? | What is your hometown or country like? Is it different from here? |
| In quali città hai vissuto? Cosa ti piace e cosa non ti piace di ciascuna? | Which cities have you lived in? What do you like and dislike about them? |
Food and cooking
Food is universal and cuts across cultures. Italians love talking about food. It is perhaps the lightest topic you can think about. Here are some good questions to ask:
| Ti piace cucinare? | Do you like cooking? |
| Ti piace provare nuove ricette? | Do you like trying new recipes? |
| Qual è il tuo piatto preferito? | What’s your favorite dish? |
| Cosa ti piace cucinare? | What do you like cooking? |
| Ti piace mangiare fuori? | Do you like eating out? |
| Quali sono i piatti tipici della tua zona? | What are the typical dishes of your region? |
Useful phrases to talk about food:
| Il mio piatto preferito è… | My favorite dish is… |
| Il piatto tipico della mia zona è… | The typical dish of my region is… |
| Si fa con… | It’s made with… |
How to make small talk in Italian: conversation topics to avoid
To avoid making anyone feel uncomfortable, there are a number of inappropriate conversation topics that you should steer clear of.
Mafia
Avoid jokes or assumptions linking an Italian person to organized crime. It is a serious topic, and film portrayals are not a reliable guide to someone’s life or community. If the subject comes up, follow the other person’s lead and speak respectfully.
Political views
Politics can lead to a lively or sensitive discussion. With someone you have just met, avoid assuming their views and let their interest guide whether to continue.
Money
Questions about someone’s salary, debt or personal finances can feel intrusive. Wait for an invitation before asking for private financial details.
Religion
Religious beliefs are personal. Do not assume someone’s beliefs; discuss the subject respectfully if they invite it.
Past relationships
Past relationships and family difficulties may be private. Let the other person choose how much to share.
Gossiping
Avoid spreading private information or unverified claims about people who are not present.
Be aware of regional sensibilities
Italy has distinct regional identities. Comparisons between places can be enjoyable, but avoid treating one region as superior or repeating stereotypes about its residents.
North–South differences can involve history, politics and personal identity. Ask open questions and listen rather than making sweeping judgments.
Put away your cell phone
Give the other person your attention. Put your phone away when practical; if you need to check something urgent, explain briefly. Eye-contact preferences vary, so focus on attentive listening.
In order to gain conversational fluency in Italian you’ve got to speak, simple as that. It is definitely an essential step in your learning process. So, use some of these handy hints, be yourself and converse in Italian as much as you can, as often as you can.
