➕🗣️🇮🇹👍❗

How to Say ‘But you speak Italian well!’ in Italian

Ma parli bene l'italiano!

mah PAHR-lee BEH-neh l ee-tah-LYAH-noh

[mah PAHR-lee BEH-neh l ee-tah-LYAH-noh]

🇮🇹 In Italy: Italians compliment even a few words of Italian generously. A modest reply like Sto ancora imparando! goes down well.

Phrase Breakdown

Ma parli bene

mah PAHR-lee BEH-neh

But you speak well

Here 'ma' expresses surprise, like 'Wow, you really speak...'

Example

Ma parli bene!

Wow, you speak well!

Words in this phrase

[mah]

But

Used to introduce a contrasting statement or question.

Example

Ma non capisco perché ma allora lei è felice.

But I don't understand why but then she is happy.

parli

[PAHR-lee]

you speak

Informal 'tu' form of 'parlare'.

Example

Parli francese?

Do you speak French?

bene

[BEH-neh]

well / fine

With 'andare', expresses that something suits someone.

Example

Ti va bene alle otto?

Is eight o'clock fine for you?

l'italiano!

l ee-tah-LYAH-noh

Italian!

End with excited intonation.

Example

Amo l'italiano!

I love Italian!

Words in this phrase

[l]

the

Elided article used before a vowel sound; part of 'l'evento' = 'the event'.

Example

Dopo l' incontro, ho preso qualche appunto.

After the meeting, I took some notes.

italiano

[ee-tah-LYAH-noh]

Italian

The Italian language (or an Italian person/thing).

Example

Studio italiano a scuola.

I study Italian at school.

Guides for Italian learners

Duolingo vs Busuu: Which Is Better for Actually Improving?Duolingo vs Busuu compared: a free gamified habit versus structured levels with corrections from native speakers. Which to choose, and when to use both.

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