You'll notice that Italian verbs have both a formal (Lei) and informal (tu) conjugations. Native speakers of English may find it difficult to gauge when the formal way of speaking should be used. As a general rule, the formal way of speaking should be used when meeting people for the first time, when greeting elders, and in business situations. Italians may tell you when it's time to use the informal by saying Diamoci del tu. (Let's address each other informally.) In any event, when you're not sure which to use, it's always safe to go with the formal. Though this may be too much to learn for the casual traveler, the following “polite” words can go a long way!

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