A collection of useful phrases for a variety of occasions in Sicilian, a Romance language spoken mailny in Sicily and parts of southern Italy.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).
| English | lu sicilianu (Sicilian) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Bon vinutu (m) Bon vinuta (f) Bon vinuti (pl) Bon juntu (m) [bɔŋˈgjuntu] Bon junta (f) Bon junti (pl) |
| Hello (General greeting) | Ciau Salutamu Assa binidica Sabbinidica [assabbini'ɾika] (formal for elderly people) |
| How are you? | Comu semu? Comu va? Comu jamu? Comu ti senti? Comu stai? Comu sta? (frm) Comu si senti? (frm) |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | Bonu! Ca bonu! Bonu staju, grazij, e tu? Bonu staju grazij, e lei? (frm) Bonu staju, grazij, e vossìa? (formal for elderly people) |
| Long time no see | Assai avi ca nun ni videmu [av(i)assaj ka nun ni vidɛmu] or [av(i)asˈsaj kɔnni viˈɾɛmu] (Mi’) quant’avi ca nun nni videmu! [mi: kwanˈtavi kɔnni viˈɾɛmu] |
| What's your name? | Comu ti chiami? Comu ti mìsiru? Comu si chiama? (frm) Comu ci mìsiru? (frm) |
| My name is ... | Mi chiamu… Mi mìsiru… |
| Where are you from? | Di unni si? Di unni veni? |
| I'm from ... | Sugnu di ... Vegnu di ... [ˈvɛɲɲu ɾi] |
| Pleased to meet you | Piaciri di canuscìriti Piaciri di canùsciti Piaciri di canuscilla (frm) Piaciri di canuscìrivi Piaciri di canùscivi (pl) |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
Bon jornu [bɔŋˈggjɔrnu] |
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
Bon jornu Bona sira |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
Bona sira |
| Good night | Bona notti |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
Ciau Nni videmu Salutamu A biatu |
| Good luck! | Bona furtuna Bona sorti Bon prudi |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
 saluti! |
| Have a nice day | Bona jurnata |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
Bon appititu Bona manciata |
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
Bona partuta Bona juta Bon viaggiu |
| I understand | Lu Capisciu [lukaˈpiʃʃu] |
| I don't understand | Nun lu capisciu [nun lu kaˈpiʃʃu] |
| Yes | Sì |
| No | No |
| Maybe | Forsi Capaci ca Sap'iddu |
| I don't know | Nun lu sacciu [nun lu sat͡tʃu] |
| Please speak more slowly | Pi fauri, parra chiù adaciu [pi faˈuɾi ˈparra kkju aˈɾaʃu] Pi fauri, parassi chiù adaciu [pi faˈuɾi parˈrassi kkju aˈɾaʃu] (frm) Pi fauri assa parra chiù adaciu [pi faˈuɾi assaparˈra kkju aˈɾaʃu] (formal for elderly people) |
| Please say that again | Pi fauri, dimmillu arreri Pi fauri, mû dicissi arreri (frm) Pi fauri assa mû dici arreri (frm for elderly people) |
| Please write it down | Pi fauri, scrivimillu Pi fauri, mû scrivissi (frm) Pi fauri assa mû scrivi (formal for elderly people) |
| Do you speak English? | Ngrisi parri? Parri ngrisi? Ngrisi parra? Parra ngrisi? (frm) |
| Do you speak Sicilian? | Sicilianu parri? Parri sicilianu? Sicilianu parra? Parra sicilianu? T’afidi a parrari sicilianu? S’afida a parrari sicilianu? (frm) |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
Se, n’anticchia Se, picca |
| Speak to me in Sicilian | Parrami n sicilianu Mi parrassi n sicilianu (frm) Assa mi parra n sicilianu (formal for elderly people) |
| How do you say ... in Sicilian? | Comu si dici ... n sicilianu? |
| Excuse me | Scusa Scusassi (frm) Mi scusassi (frm) Scusàtimi (pl) Assa mi scusa (formal for elderly people) |
| How much is this? | Quantu custa? Quantu veni? Quant’è? |
| Sorry | M’â scusari Mi scusassi M’av’a scusari (frm) Scusàtimi (pl) M’avit’a scusari (pl) |
| Please | Pi fauri |
| Thank you | Grazij |
| Reply to thank you | Di nenti |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | Unn’è u bagnu? Agghiri unn’è u bagnu? Unn’è u cabbinettu? Agghiri unn’è u cabbinettu? |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | Paa tuttu stu cristianu |
| This lady will pay for everything | Paa tuttu sta cristiana |
| Would you like to dance with me? | C’abballi cu mia? Ci vulissi abballari cu mia? |
| I miss you | M’ammanchi |
| I love you | T’amu (between lovers) Ti vogghiu ("I want you" - between lovers) Ti vogghiu beni (for friends, relatives, etc) |
| Get well soon | Arripigghiati a lestu S’arripigghiassi a lestu (frm) Assa s’arripigghia a lestu (frm) |
| Go away! | Vatinni! Si nni jissi! (sg/frm) Jitivinni! (pl) Assa si nni va (sg/frm) |
| Leave me alone! | Làssami jiri! Lassàtimi jiri! (pl) Mi lassassi jiri! (frm) Assa mi lassa jiri! (frm) |
| Help! | Ajutu! Ajutatimi! Ajutàtinni! (help us) |
| Fire! | A focu! |
| Stop! | Statti! (sg) Stàtivi (stop you all) Finèmula! Finìscila (sg) Finìtila (stop you all) |
| Be careful! | Accura! |
| Call the police! | Chiama â polizìa! |
| Christmas greetings | Bon Natali Boni festi |
| New Year greetings | Bon annu novu |
| Easter greetings | Bona Pasqua |
| Birthday greetings | Agurij |
| One language is never enough | Na lingua sula mai abbasta |
| My hovercraft is full of eels | Lu me ariuscafu chinu di anciddi è |
Hear some Sicilian phrases:
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Sicilian | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel | Books about Sicilian on: Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk [affilate links]
Other collections of Sicilian phrases
http://italian.about.com/od/sicilian/a/aa050405c.htm
http://www.aboutlanguageschools.com/phrases/sicilian.asp
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingua_siciliana
http://it.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090423081147AACMsIk
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