An English-Italian phrasebook, organized like a dictionary for acquaintance, socializing, friendship, and romance.

Making Friends in Italy: An Italian Phrasebook

Andrea Paleologo
Rodnik Publishing Company (2005)
ISBN 1234567890
Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (3/06)


Magnificamente! That is the way to describe this fantastic little phrasebook. From the very first phrase I looked up (and it wasn’t food or directions), this book showed me its worth. They packed so many useful phrases into this little volume. I just had to keep looking through it to see what it didn’t have. Swear words, that’s what it lacked, but I try not to, so it didn’t matter.

What I use often in normal conversation, it covered totally. Right down to meeting people, getting to know them and (for singles) asking the right questions to land that first date. “Making Friends in Italy” was written with thought and consideration. One very unique feature is the little hint box at the bottom of each page. This little rectangle contains a plethora of information. On one page, you may find, “Questions about the metric system? See page 409”. On another, “A slash / always means “or” and yet another has, “Adjectives in Italian usually follow the Noun.”

These little things and more make using “Making Friends in Italy” a tremendous travel companion. I would highly recommend “Making Friends in Italy” a necessary item in your suitcase when traveling to Italy. Or, if you’d just like to learn to say Arrivederci, instead of Ciao! For whatever reason you buy it, travel aid, language helper or simply to broaden your horizons, “Making Friends in Italy” would make for an intelligent purchase.