Carnival: Asking where main parade route starts
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Key Phrases
Sa da dove parte la sfilata principale?
Do you know where the main parade starts?
Vada dritto e poi giri a destra.
Go straight and then turn right.
A che ora comincia?
What time does it start?
Skills You'll Learn
Asking for directions
Chiedere indicazioni stradali
Asking about and understanding time information
Chiedere e capire informazioni sugli orari
Using polite expressions to thank and say goodbye
Usare espressioni di cortesia per ringraziare e congedarsi
Lesson Roleplay
Imagine you're in an Italian town during Carnival. You want to ask a local where the main parade starts and how to get there.
Scusi, buongiorno!
Excuse me, good morning!
Buongiorno! Mi dica.
Good morning! How can I help?
Sa da dove parte la sfilata principale?
Do you know where the main parade starts?
Sì, parte da Piazza Garibaldi.
Yes, it starts from Piazza Garibaldi.
È lontano da qui?
Is it far from here?
Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases
Scusi
SKOO-zee
Excuse me
💬 Scusi is the polite form for someone you don't know. With a friend or a child it becomes scusa.
🇮🇹 This is the standard way to stop a stranger in the street before asking anything. Starting a question without it can feel abrupt.
See breakdown →Buongiorno!
bwon-JOR-noh
Good morning!
🇮🇹 Italians use buongiorno until roughly mid-afternoon, then switch to buonasera "good evening". A greeting is expected before any request.
See breakdown →Scusi, buongiorno!
SKOO-zee bwon-JOR-noh
Excuse me, good morning!
Mi dica.
mee DEE-kah
How can I help?
💬 Literally "tell me", in the polite form. Between friends it's dimmi.
🇮🇹 Shopkeepers, officials and helpful passers-by say this to invite your question. It's friendly, not curt.
See breakdown →Da dove parte?
da doh-veh PAR-teh
Where does it start from?
💬 Italian can't leave da "from" dangling at the end like English "where from?". It always comes first: da dove vieni? "where are you from?".
See breakdown →La sfilata
lah sfee-LAH-tah
The parade
Sa da dove parte la sfilata principale?
sah da doh-veh PAR-teh lah sfee-LAH-tah preen-chee-PAH-leh
Do you know where the main parade starts?
💬 Sa is the polite "do you know", and you can put any question after it to soften it: Sa dov'è il bagno? "Do you know where the toilet is?".
See breakdown →Sì
see
Yes
Parte da Piazza Garibaldi.
PAR-teh da PYAHT-tsah gah-ree-BAHL-dee
It starts from Piazza Garibaldi.
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