Many thanks to Chantal for loaning me the Harrap’s Guide to learn Italian which I faithfully followed until the sentences started getting long and complicated. In any case Italians speak English don’t they? The little old lady and old man who stopped us on the Canal bridge in Venice didn’t. The gaz retailer in Chianti didn’t. The taxi drivers in Rome didn’t. Nearly all the shop assistants didn’t and the grocery store owner in Radicofani didn’t. Well actually he did speak French but he let us babble on in halting Italian for thirty minutes before letting us in on his secret. When in Rome do as the romans would do. Try speaking Italian and you will notice how Italians will warm to you. My favourite opening phrases – come si dice … (how do you say?) and parla inglese (do you speak English?). When they reply Non then you ask parla italiano which always brings a smile. Try it, be bold.
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