1,000 Most Common Italian Words (Free List)
Knowing the 1,000 most common Italian words puts you at roughly 80% comprehension of everyday spoken Italian. You won't understand everything, but you'll follow the shape of conversations, extract meaning from most sentences, and have a foundation to build on rapidly.
This list is compiled from frequency analysis of spoken and written Italian — news, subtitles, podcasts, and everyday conversation. It's organised thematically rather than alphabetically, because grouping related words helps you learn them faster.
The first 500 most common Italian words are available as a curated interactive deck on Repetrax. This article covers the full 1,000, with the second half focusing on vocabulary that becomes essential at the intermediate level.
How to Use This List
Don't read through it linearly — that's passive and inefficient. Instead:
- Scan each section and mark words you already know
- Add unknown words to a spaced repetition deck
- Review daily — 10–15 new words per day is sustainable
- When you encounter these words in real Italian content, it will reinforce them faster than any review session
The free download below is formatted for direct import into Repetrax.
Function Words — Articles, Pronouns, Prepositions, Conjunctions (~100 words)
These are the glue of Italian. Many you'll already know from basic study, but knowing them automatically — without translating — is the goal.
Articles and determiners il, lo, la, i, gli, le (the) — un, uno, una (a/an) — del, dello, della (some/of the) — questo, questa, questi, queste (this/these) — quello, quella, quelli, quelle (that/those) — ogni (every/each) — qualche (some/a few) — altro, altra (other/another) — stesso, stessa (same)
Core pronouns io, tu, lui, lei, noi, voi, loro — mi, ti, si, ci, vi — lo, la, li, le — me, te, sé — chi (who/whoever) — che, cosa (what/which) — quale (which) — ne (of it/them) — ci (there/us)
Prepositions di, a, da, in, con, su, per, tra/fra, senza, verso (toward), attraverso (through), durante (during), dopo (after), prima di (before), secondo (according to), invece di (instead of), grazie a (thanks to), a causa di (because of), nonostante (despite)
Conjunctions and connectors e, ma, o, però, quindi, perché, se, quando, mentre, che, come, anche, né…né, sia…che (both…and), oppure (or else), eppure (and yet), sebbene (although), affinché (so that), benché (although), poiché (since/because), finché (until/as long as)
Core Verbs — Top 100 Most Frequent (~100 words)
The 30 most essential verbs are in Repetrax's curated Italian decks. These extend into the next tier — verbs you'll encounter constantly at intermediate level.
Being, having, becoming essere (to be) — avere (to have) — diventare (to become) — sembrare (to seem) — apparire (to appear) — risultare (to turn out/prove to be) — restare/rimanere (to remain/stay)
Thinking and communicating pensare (to think) — credere (to believe) — sapere (to know a fact) — capire (to understand) — ricordare (to remember) — dimenticare (to forget) — spiegare (to explain) — descrivere (to describe) — raccontare (to tell/recount) — rispondere (to answer) — chiedere (to ask) — suggerire (to suggest) — ammettere (to admit) — negare (to deny) — promettere (to promise) — decidere (to decide) — scegliere (to choose) — volere (to want) — preferire (to prefer) — immaginare (to imagine)
Actions and movement andare (to go) — venire (to come) — tornare (to return) — partire (to leave) — arrivare (to arrive) — entrare (to enter) — uscire (to go out) — salire (to go up/get on) — scendere (to go down/get off) — correre (to run) — camminare (to walk) — portare (to bring/carry) — prendere (to take) — mettere (to put) — togliere (to remove) — aprire (to open) — chiudere (to close) — passare (to pass/spend time) — seguire (to follow) — incontrare (to meet) — aspettare (to wait) — fermare/fermarsi (to stop) — spingere (to push) — tirare (to pull)
Work and creation lavorare (to work) — studiare (to study) — imparare (to learn) — insegnare (to teach) — costruire (to build) — creare (to create) — fare (to do/make) — produrre (to produce) — scrivere (to write) — leggere (to read) — disegnare (to draw) — suonare (to play an instrument) — cantare (to sing) — giocare (to play a game)
Life activities mangiare (to eat) — bere (to drink) — dormire (to sleep) — svegliarsi (to wake up) — alzarsi (to get up) — vestirsi (to get dressed) — lavarsi (to wash oneself) — comprare (to buy) — pagare (to pay) — vendere (to sell) — affittare (to rent) — vivere (to live) — nascere (to be born) — morire (to die) — sposarsi (to get married) — incontrare (to meet)
Nouns — People and Society (~80 words)
People and roles persona (person) — uomo (man) — donna (woman) — bambino/a (child) — ragazzo/a (boy/girl; boyfriend/girlfriend) — adulto (adult) — anziano (elderly person) — giovane (young person) — amico/a (friend) — nemico/a (enemy) — collega (colleague) — vicino (neighbour) — straniero (foreigner/stranger) — abitante (inhabitant) — cittadino (citizen) — cliente (customer/client) — medico (doctor) — infermiere/a (nurse) — avvocato (lawyer) — insegnante (teacher) — studente/studentessa (student) — professore/professoressa (professor) — poliziotto (police officer) — pompiere (firefighter) — cuoco/a (cook/chef) — autista (driver)
Family famiglia (family) — madre/mamma (mother/mum) — padre/papà (father/dad) — figlio/figlia (son/daughter) — fratello (brother) — sorella (sister) — marito (husband) — moglie (wife) — nonno/nonna (grandfather/grandmother) — zio/zia (uncle/aunt) — cugino/a (cousin) — nipote (nephew/niece; grandchild) — genitori (parents) — figli (children/sons) — coppia (couple) — matrimonio (marriage)
Society and institutions governo (government) — stato (state) — nazione (nation) — paese (country) — regione (region) — comune (municipality/town) — legge (law) — diritto (right; law) — politica (politics) — partito (political party) — elezione (election) — economia (economy) — mercato (market) — azienda (company) — impresa (enterprise/company) — lavoro (work/job) — occupazione (occupation/employment) — disoccupazione (unemployment) — salario/stipendio (salary/wage) — tassa (tax) — prezzo (price) — costo (cost) — valore (value)
Nouns — Places and the Physical World (~80 words)
Geography and landscape mondo (world) — paese (country; village) — città (city) — capitale (capital) — regione (region) — zona (area/zone) — quartiere (neighbourhood) — centro (centre) — periferia (outskirts) — campagna (countryside) — foresta (forest) — bosco (wood/forest) — fiume (river) — lago (lake) — mare (sea) — oceano (ocean) — montagna (mountain) — collina (hill) — pianura (plain) — isola (island) — costa (coast) — confine (border/boundary)
Built environment edificio (building) — palazzo (building; palace) — villa (villa; large house) — appartamento (apartment) — camera (room; bedroom) — corridoio (corridor) — scala (stairs; ladder) — ascensore (lift/elevator) — piano (floor/level) — tetto (roof) — muro (wall) — pavimento (floor) — soffitto (ceiling) — finestra (window) — porta (door) — giardino (garden) — cortile (courtyard) — garage (garage) — cantina (cellar) — soffitta (attic)
Infrastructure and transport autostrada (motorway/highway) — ferrovia (railway) — porto (port/harbour) — aereo (aeroplane) — nave (ship) — metropolitana (underground/metro) — fermata (stop) — binario (platform/track) — stazione (station) — aeroporto (airport) — semaforo (traffic light) — incrocio (crossroads) — parcheggio (car park) — ponte (bridge) — tunnel (tunnel)
Nouns — Abstract Concepts and Ideas (~80 words)
Time and sequence momento (moment) — periodo (period) — fase (phase) — inizio (beginning) — fine (end) — durata (duration) — futuro (future) — passato (past) — presente (present) — storia (history; story) — cambiamento (change) — evoluzione (evolution/development) — processo (process) — risultato (result) — conseguenza (consequence) — causa (cause) — motivo (reason/motive) — scopo (purpose/goal) — obiettivo (objective/goal) — piano (plan) — progetto (project)
Thought and knowledge idea (idea) — concetto (concept) — teoria (theory) — opinione (opinion) — punto di vista (point of view) — argomento (argument; topic) — prova (proof; test) — esempio (example) — caso (case; chance) — problema (problem) — soluzione (solution) — risposta (answer) — domanda (question) — informazione (information) — notizia (news item) — conoscenza (knowledge) — esperienza (experience) — memoria (memory) — intelligenza (intelligence) — cultura (culture)
Emotions and character sentimento (feeling/sentiment) — emozione (emotion) — sensazione (sensation/feeling) — carattere (character/personality) — comportamento (behaviour) — atteggiamento (attitude) — fiducia (trust; confidence) — speranza (hope) — paura (fear) — coraggio (courage) — pazienza (patience) — rispetto (respect) — orgoglio (pride) — vergogna (shame) — colpa (guilt; fault) — responsabilità (responsibility) — libertà (freedom) — giustizia (justice) — verità (truth) — bugia (lie)
Adjectives — Descriptions and Qualities (~100 words)
Physical properties lungo/a (long) — corto/a (short) — alto/a (tall/high) — basso/a (short/low) — largo/a (wide) — stretto/a (narrow) — spesso/a (thick; often) — sottile (thin/slim) — piatto/a (flat) — rotondo/a (round) — quadrato/a (square) — duro/a (hard) — morbido/a (soft) — liscio/a (smooth) — ruvido/a (rough) — pesante (heavy) — leggero/a (light) — pieno/a (full) — vuoto/a (empty) — pulito/a (clean) — sporco/a (dirty) — ordinato/a (tidy) — disordinato/a (messy)
Evaluative importante (important) — necessario/a (necessary) — utile (useful) — inutile (useless) — efficace (effective) — efficiente (efficient) — adatto/a (suitable/appropriate) — appropriato/a (appropriate) — corretto/a (correct) — sbagliato/a (wrong) — giusto/a (right/fair) — ingiusto/a (unjust) — normale (normal) — strano/a (strange/odd) — particolare (particular/special) — generale (general) — specifico/a (specific) — principale (main) — secondario/a (secondary) — fondamentale (fundamental) — essenziale (essential) — necessario/a (necessary)
Human qualities intelligente (intelligent) — stupido/a (stupid) — simpatico/a (likeable/nice) — antipatico/a (unpleasant) — gentile (kind) — scortese (rude) — onesto/a (honest) — disonesto/a (dishonest) — generoso/a (generous) — avaro/a (miserly) — coraggioso/a (courageous) — timido/a (shy) — ambizioso/a (ambitious) — creativo/a (creative) — responsabile (responsible) — irresponsabile (irresponsible) — maturo/a (mature) — immaturo/a (immature)
Emotional states ansioso/a (anxious) — nervoso/a (nervous) — tranquillo/a (calm) — agitato/a (agitated) — arrabbiato/a (angry) — calmo/a (calm) — eccitato/a (excited) — deluso/a (disappointed) — soddisfatto/a (satisfied) — frustrato/a (frustrated) — innamorato/a (in love) — geloso/a (jealous) — orgoglioso/a (proud) — imbarazzato/a (embarrassed) — sorpreso/a (surprised) — confuso/a (confused) — stufo/a (fed up)
Adverbs and Connectors (~60 words)
Manner così (so/like this) — bene (well) — male (badly) — piano (slowly/softly) — forte (loudly/hard) — velocemente (quickly) — lentamente (slowly) — insieme (together) — separatamente (separately) — facilmente (easily) — difficilmente (with difficulty) — certamente (certainly) — probabilmente (probably) — sicuramente (surely) — fortunatamente (fortunately) — purtroppo (unfortunately) — ovviamente (obviously) — chiaramente (clearly) — esattamente (exactly) — semplicemente (simply)
Degree and quantity molto (very/much) — poco (little/few) — troppo (too much) — abbastanza (enough) — quasi (almost) — completamente (completely) — totalmente (totally) — parzialmente (partially) — particolarmente (particularly) — soprattutto (above all/especially) — almeno (at least) — al massimo (at most) — circa (about/approximately) — più o meno (more or less)
Discourse markers però (however) — invece (instead/on the other hand) — comunque (anyway/however) — quindi (so/therefore) — allora (so/then/well) — dunque (so/therefore) — cioè (that is/i.e.) — infatti (in fact) — anzi (rather/on the contrary) — eppure (and yet) — tuttavia (however/nevertheless) — d'altronde (on the other hand) — in realtà (in reality/actually) — in effetti (in effect/indeed) — comunque (anyway)
Filler Words and Discourse Markers (~30 words)
These are words that native speakers use constantly but textbooks rarely teach: dai (come on), beh/be' (well), ma va (really/no way), mah (I don't know/who knows), mica (not at all/by any chance), eppure (and yet), magari (maybe/I wish), figurati/figuriamoci (don't mention it/imagine), in effetti (actually), a proposito (by the way), nel senso (in the sense that), cioè (I mean/that is), tipo (like/kind of — colloquial), praticamente (basically), praticamente (essentially), insomma (in short/well/so-so), per carità (for heaven's sake), per forza (of course/by force), ci mancherebbe (of course/don't mention it), non c'è male (not bad), più o meno (more or less)
What Comes After 1,000 Words
At 1,000 words you'll understand the skeleton of everyday Italian. To reach 3,000 words — where B2 fluency lives — you need consistent exposure to real Italian content: podcasts, YouTube, books, conversations. Read How Long Does It Take to Learn Italian for a full timeline.
The fastest way to move from 1,000 to 3,000 words is mining vocabulary from content you're actually consuming — not studying more word lists. Learn how to extract vocabulary from YouTube videos with Repetrax.
Import This List as a Repetrax Deck
A JSON file containing the words from this list (excluding words already in Repetrax's curated 500-word Italian deck) is available for download below. Import it under Settings → Import → JSON in your Repetrax account.