The Little Words of Everyday Italian
Real Italian conversation is glued together by a handful of small words. They do not fit any grammar table — but you will hear them in almost every exchange.
Beh — "well..."
Beh (a worn-down bene) buys a moment to think, or softens an answer.
| Well, I don't know. | Beh, non lo so. |
| Well, all right. | Beh, va bene. |
Allora — "so, then"
Allora opens a sentence when you draw a conclusion or move the conversation forward. It is the classic way to change topic or get things going.
| So, where are we going? | Allora, dove andiamo? |
| So, when are you coming back? | Allora, quando torni? |
Ehi — "hey"
Ehi grabs attention, just like English hey. Keep it for friends and family — with strangers, use scusi instead.
| Hey, how are you? | Ehi, come stai? |
| Hey, where are you? | Ehi, dove sei? |
Davvero — "really"
Davvero intensifies a statement — and, on its own with question intonation, it is the standard "Really?" of surprise.
| The cake is really good. | La torta è davvero buona. |
| Really? It is not true! | Davvero? Non è vero! |
Your Conversation Toolkit
| word | use it to... |
|---|---|
| beh | hesitate or soften ("well...") |
| allora | move things forward ("so, then") |
| ehi | call someone, informally ("hey") |
| davvero | intensify, or show surprise ("really") |
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