Parli altre lingue?

Do you speak other languages?

Pronunciation

PAR-li AL-tre LIN-gue — stress on first syllable of each content word. 'Lingue' is two syllables: LIN-gue.

When to use it

A natural conversation topic — language skills reveal education, travel experience, and curiosity about the world.

What it means

'Parli' = you speak (second person singular of 'parlare'). 'Altre lingue' = other languages. Italy has very high interest in English, but also French and Spanish. Language learning is a common hobby and signals intellectual curiosity.

Variations

Sai l'inglese?

Do you know English?

Direct and practical — useful if you are a non-Italian speaker on a date in Italy

Stai studiando qualche lingua?

Are you studying any language?

Opens up conversation about goals and personal development

Ho sempre voluto imparare il portoghese.

I've always wanted to learn Portuguese.

Sharing your own language ambitions creates a natural exchange

Mini Dialogue

— Parli altre lingue oltre all'italiano? — Sì, l'inglese abbastanza bene e un po' di francese. Tu? — Parlo inglese e spagnolo. Sto cercando di imparare il giapponese. — Il giapponese! Ma è difficilissimo! — Sì, ma è bellissimo. Mi affascina.

— Do you speak other languages besides Italian? — Yes, English quite well and a little French. You? — I speak English and Spanish. I'm trying to learn Japanese. — Japanese! But it's incredibly difficult! — Yes, but it's beautiful. It fascinates me.

Cultural Note

Italy has historically had lower English proficiency than northern Europe, but younger Italians (under 40) are increasingly fluent. Language skills are respected and seen as a mark of culture and open-mindedness — talking about languages on a date is always a positive topic.

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Sei nervosa?

Hai fratelli o sorelle?

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