Learn Italian: Condoglianze, signora. Grazie, dottore. - "My condolences, madam." "Thank you, doctor."

When offering sympathy, Italians usually just say Condoglianze on its own. You could say Le mie condoglianze (my condolences), but dropping the extra words is the most natural and common way to speak.

Why are the words signora and dottore not capitalized?

In Italian, professional and courtesy titles like signora (madam or Mrs.) and dottore (doctor) are usually written with a lowercase letter, even when you are speaking directly to the person.

Why is there no la before signora or il before dottore?

When you are addressing someone directly, you do not use the definite article (the words for 'the'). You only use la signora or il dottore when you are talking about them to a third person.

Can dottore be used for people who are not medical doctors?

Yes! In Italy, anyone who has a university degree can be addressed as dottore (for a man) or dottoressa (for a woman) as a sign of respect, even outside of a hospital setting foot of a medical setting.