Communicating with Italians: what you should know

Communicating with Italians can pose some challenges. They talk fast and tend to use a lot of hand gestures when communicating. You will notice this not only when you go on holiday in this southern European country, but when doing business with Italians as well. Do you want to make sure things go more smoothly? Then you absolutely need to know how to communicate in Italian.

Continue reading this page in order to learn more about how to communicate with Italians. We will start by talking about some of the important cultural differences between the United Kingdom and Italy, and follow up by showing you how to write a proper email in Italian. Moreover, we've listed some dos and dont's while doing business with Italians. Finally, we will briefly discuss in-person communication. After reading this page, you will be primed and ready to communicate with Italians.

Differences between English and Italian culture

If you want to learn to communicate with Italians, you need to understand that English culture and Italian culture differ rather significantly. This becomes evident in how Italians communicate. In some cultures, it is customary to be direct and to say what comes to mind right away. In Italy, such directness is generally not appreciated, because Italians tend to be very indirect and courteous. They are good at dressing up ‘negative’ messages in compliments, which softens them somewhat.

To some, your average Italian may come across as someone who is calm and living life to the fullest. Additionally, the people of this country are often described as hospitable and friendly. Outwardly, this is indeed how they present themselves, but behind this veneer lies a web of formal norms and values. For example, there are many different rules to consider when it comes to how Italians are expected to behave. Are you unaware of these rules? Then this may lead to issues arising. So make sure to learn more about the Italian language and culture. This is sure to help you better communicate with Italians.

Email communication with Italians: how to write a good email

Are you corresponding remotely with Italians (e.g. doing business)? Chances are you will be corresponding by email. In order to make a good impression, you need to know how to write a proper email in Italian.

If you don't speak much, or any, Italian, you may think it's better to write an email in English. We would advise against it, as not nearly every Italian is proficient in it. The younger generation may be okay at English, but the same doesn't usually apply to older generations.

If you regularly communicate with Italians by email, you can't really get around learning the language. Doing so won't just improve your vocabulary, but you will also learn how Italian grammar works. This makes communicating with Italians by email a lot easier.

Sending emails to Italians isn't something most people do on a daily basis. Don't know how to approach this? Don't fret, because Translation Agency Perfect has got your back. Below we will show you exactly how to write a proper email in Italian.

Use the correct introduction

As is the case in most other countries, starting with a proper greeting and introduction is customary in Italy. But what does that actually look like in Italian? It depends on whether your email is formal or informal in nature. Below you will find a few examples of both types.

Formal

Informal

Remain polite and formal

If you want to send an email to an Italian, but you aren't yet acquainted with the person in question? Then keep this in mind in your language. Remain polite and address the receiver in a formal manner. And make sure to use the formal pronouns. Italians dislike being addressed by informal pronouns if they don't know you well yet. Italians will only switch to informal pronouns once they've build up rapport with someone.

Italians tend to prefer their business communication to remain formal. So don't talk about your own health, for example, and don't ask your receiver about theirs. In business emails it is also not customary to talk about family or one's personal life. Are you sending an informal email? Then it's usually not a problem if you broach these topics.

End your email properly

In addition to the greeting, you must pay attention to closing statements when sending an email in Italian. Which closing statement to use depends on the nature of the email. Informal emails receive different endings than formal ones. To illustrate this, we've included some examples of how to sign off an email in Italian.

Formal

Informal

Check your email thoroughly

This might seem obvious, but a lot of people tend to forget to proofread their Italian email before sending it. This might cause miscommunication. For example, if you conjugate a word incorrectly or use any falsi amici, an Italian might not understand you. So make sure to always proofread your email before hitting send. This will iron out any errors or inconsistencies and will ensure your communication with Italians goes smoothly.

Have your email proofread by a specialist

Sending an Italian email can be a challenge if you are not proficient in the language. Some people will write a message in their native language and then translate it into Italian with an online tool. This is certainly quick and easy, but you are not guaranteed a good translation. Are you using such a translation in your email? Then you run the risk of Italians not understanding you properly.

If you want to avoid any miscommunication with Italians, you need to have your email translated by a native speaker at Translation Agency Perfect. Our Italian translation agency has the in-house expertise to translate your emails into Italian. Do you need something translated from Italian instead? We can provide that service as well.

Dos and don'ts when doing business and communicating with Italians

When communicating with Italians, there are a number of things you should and shouldn't do. Most people aren't aware of what these entail, however. This could lead to problems in communicating with Italians. In order to minimise that, we have listed a number of dos and don'ts when doing business and communicating with Italians Use them to your advantage!

Dos

1. Building rapport

   A lot of people like to get straight to the point when doing business, but Italians generally don't appreciate that. They prefer to spend some time building a business relationship, thus building rapport. Don't expect a few emails or phone calls to suffice, because Italians prefer building a relationship through personal contact. For example, Italians appreciate if you invite them over for lunch or dinner in order to get to know them.

2. Remaining calm

   Italians are known for their temperament. This may also become evident when doing business. For example, if an Italian disagrees with something, they will clearly make it known. This might startle you if you are unaccustomed to it. Don't ever take it personally, because Italians think it's perfectly normal to respond in such a manner during business meetings.

3. Knowing the language

   Communicating with Italians can be extremely tricky if you aren't (very) proficient in their language. In order to make a good impression and ensure smooth communication, you could learn the Italian language. When doing so, don't focus merely on your vocabulary, but learn proper grammar and sentence structure as well. Having a large vocabulary is great, but you need to know how to use all those words correctly within a sentence.

4. Learn more about the kind of business

   Italian business can operate quite differently from what you may be used to. This southern European country has different kinds of legal business entities, for example. Make sure you are up to speed when doing business with Italians. We've listed the various legal entities below in order to get you started. We will also include a translation or rough equivalent so you know what type of business you're dealing with.

Italian legal entity	Translation or equivalent
ditta individuale	sole proprietorship
società in nome collettivo (S.N.C.)	general partnership
società in accomandita semplice (S.a.s)	limited partnership
società in accomandita per azioni (S.a.p.a)	partnership limited by shares
società a responsabilità limitata (S.r.l.)	limited liability company (LLC)
società per azoni (S.p.a.)	public limited company (PLC)

5. Putting on your Sunday outfit

   Italians like to make a good impression and they expect the same of the people they are meeting with. Do you have a business meeting with an Italian? Make sure you wear a suit and don't come to the meeting wearing jeans with a shirt. Women often think wearing a dress is appropriate, but in Italy it is customary for both men and women to wear a suit to business meetings. Complete your outfit with some accessories. This is a way to show off your style and Italians love it.

Dont's

1. Using someone's first name

   Are you not well acquainted with an Italian? Then don't use their first name, but always default to their last name. If the person in question has a title - like dottore/dottoresa, ingegnere or avvocato - it always gets placed before the last name. Only use an Italian's first name if they use informal pronouns with you. If you've been in contact for some time, chances are you will be asked if you are okay with using informal pronouns. Do you approve? In that case, you can use the person's first name as well as informal pronouns.

2. Being early

   Most people hate being late. Does this apply to you? In that case, you might prefer to be 5 or 10 minutes early for a meeting. If you have a meeting with an Italian, however, doing so isn't the best idea. This gives your business partner the idea that they need to rush, which is considered impolite in Italy. It is better to arrive 5 or 10 minutes late instead. Don't be surprised if your business partner arrives even later than that. Italians are not known for their punctuality.

3. Ignoring hand gestures

   Italians use their hands a lot when communicating with someone. You might think they only do this to emphasize their words, but that is not the case. Many Italian hand gestures have their own specific meaning. Whether you're doing business with Italians or just meeting them privately, it's good to know what these gestures mean. Not only will it help you to better understand Italians, but you can use these gestures yourself when communicating.

4. Insulting Italy

   When talking to Italians, you may notice how frequently they complain about their own country. For example, don't be surprised when Italians complain about how politicians are being lazy, unemployment is far too high, and no one pays their taxes. Never acknowledge these outbursts, because that is considered insulting. And don't even think about saying bad things about Italy, because Italians will not take kindly to those words. Say positive things instead, about their cuisine or the culture and sights, for example. This will help you build rapport more quickly, which will benefit you when doing business in Italy.

5. Losing your temper

   Doing business with Italians may require quite a bit of patience on your end. It is quite normal for Italians to take their sweet time before they actually get to the point. Additionally, business meetings tend to progress very formally, and Italians are known for being late. Make sure you don't lose your temper, no matter how hard it might be. If an Italian notices you are irritated, curt or even angry, they might not want to do business with you anymore. Let everything take its course. Usually it will all fall into place.

6. Taking things Italians say literally

   Did an Italian make a promise? Then you might be inclined to wait until they fulfil their promise. Chances are this will never happen, because in Italy it's common for promises to be no more than words. Additionally, there is little point in reminding an Italian of a previously made promise. If you do, they will most likely tell you they didn't mean it literally. Italians themselves also don't take things literally, and they assume other people are similarly inclined. If you are unaware of this... Then communicating with Italians could prove somewhat tricky.