Italian · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 9 of 12
Directions and transport
In stazione
Buy a train ticket in Italy, understand platforms, delays and changes, and give and follow instructions with the imperative.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Buy a train ticket and ask about changes
- Understand platforms and delays
- Follow polite instructions (Lei)
- Give instructions to a friend (tu)
Listen
Ilaria is at Pisa station. She wants to go to Monterosso, one of the villages of the Cinque Terre. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Ilaria
Buongiorno. Un biglietto per Monterosso, per favore.
Good morning. A ticket to Monterosso, please.
Ticket clerk
Solo andata o andata e ritorno?
Single or return?
Ilaria
Solo andata. Devo cambiare?
Single. Do I have to change?
Ticket clerk
Sì, cambi a La Spezia. Lì prenda il treno per Levanto.
Yes, change at La Spezia. There, take the train to Levanto.
Ilaria
Da che binario parte il treno per La Spezia?
Which platform does the train to La Spezia leave from?
Ticket clerk
Dal binario quattro, alle dieci e venti. Ma oggi è in ritardo di quindici minuti.
From platform four, at twenty past ten. But today it's fifteen minutes late.
Ilaria
Va bene. Quant'è?
OK. How much is it?
Ticket clerk
Undici euro e cinquanta. Prima di salire, non dimentichi di convalidare il biglietto.
Eleven euros fifty. Before you get on, don't forget to validate your ticket.
Ilaria
Certo. Scusi, da che parte è il binario quattro?
Of course. Excuse me, which way is platform four?
Ticket clerk
Vada dritto, scenda le scale e giri a sinistra.
Go straight on, go down the stairs and turn left.
Ilaria
Grazie mille. Buona giornata.
Thanks very much. Have a nice day.
Understand
Polite instructions: the Lei imperative
To tell someone what to do, Italian uses the imperative. With , the vowel of the ending swaps: -are verbs end in -i ( → ), and -ere and -ire verbs end in -a ( → ). You already know two: and .
Some common verbs are irregular, like (go) and (do). In A1 you heard and : that's the present tense, which is also common for directions. and are the real polite commands. For “don't”, just add : .
| Infinitive | ||
|---|---|---|
| (turn) | ||
| (change) | ||
| (take) | ||
| (go down, get off) | ||
| (listen) | ||
| (go) | or | |
| (do, make) | or |
Friendly instructions: the tu imperative
With , -are verbs end in -a (), and -ere and -ire verbs end in -i (), like the present. and have a short form, and , but and are just as common.
For “don't” with , use + the infinitive: (Don't turn!), (Don't forget your ticket).
- Gira a sinistra e poi vai dritto.Turn left and then go straight on.
- Prendi il treno delle otto.Take the eight o'clock train.
- Non scendere a Pisa, scendi a Firenze.Don't get off at Pisa, get off at Florence.
At the station
These words appear on boards and in announcements at every Italian station.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| / | departures / arrivals |
| platform | |
| on time | |
| late, delayed | |
| cancelled | |
| connection | |
| to change trains |
More in the grammar: The imperative: giving instructions
New words
- Solo andata o andata e ritorno?Single or return?
- lìthere · with an accent
- il trenotrain · masculine; = by train
- il binarioplatform, track · masculine; = from platform four
- partireto leave, to depart · with in the past:
- in ritardolate, delayed · = ten minutes late
- prima dibefore · = before getting on
- salireto get on; to go up · irregular: …
- dimenticareto forget · = don't forget (Lei)
- convalidareto validate (a ticket) · in a machine, before you travel
- Da che parte…?Which way…? · = Which way is the platform?
- scendereto get off; to go down · = to go down the stairs
- le scalestairs · feminine plural
- Grazie mille.Thanks very much. · literally “a thousand thanks”
Practise
1.Which is the polite (Lei) imperative of ?
2.Tell a stranger (Lei) to turn left. Use .
Turn left.
3.Tell a friend (tu) not to forget the ticket.
Don't forget the ticket.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Which platform does the train leave from?
5.The departures board says . What does it mean?
6.Match the Italian with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Un biglietto per Firenze, andata e ritorno, per favore.
A return ticket to Florence, please.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.