Basic Nouns

1. l'acqua

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water; works with pointing

   Grammar Note

   Feminine; the article a elides to l' before a vowel. The word also means rain

2. u cibu

   Food

   Usage

   A general word for food; used when asking for something to eat

   Grammar Note

   Masculine; also written cibbu. Learn it with the verb manghjà (to eat)

3. i solli

   Money

   Usage

   The word for "money" in talk about paying or changing money

   Grammar Note

   Masculine plural; the singular sollu is a small coin (sou). The form soldi is also used, and denaru is the general word for money

4. u cabinettu

   Toilet

   Usage

   The word for the toilet when looking for one in a station, a shop or a hotel

   Grammar Note

   Masculine; it also means a consulting room or a study. Bagnu means "bath", so it is not used for the toilet

5. a medicina

   Medicine

   Usage

   The word for medicine when you need some at a pharmacy or a hotel

   Grammar Note

   Feminine; it means both "medicine" (a drug) and the science of medicine. Also written midicina

6. u bagagliu

   Luggage

   Usage

   The word for luggage at an airport, a station or a hotel

   Grammar Note

   Masculine. A suitcase is valisgia

7. a chjave

   Key

   Usage

   Used when collecting a room key or when you have lost it

   Grammar Note

   Feminine. Chj is a palatal stop. Chiave is a variant spelling, but chjave is used here

8. u bigliettu

   Ticket

   Usage

   Used when buying a train, boat or entrance ticket

   Grammar Note

   Masculine; also written bugliettu. It can also mean a banknote

9. u passaportu

   Passport

   Usage

   The identity document asked for at hotel check-in and in procedures

   Grammar Note

   Masculine; masculine nouns in -u form the plural in -i

10. u telefunu

    Phone

    Usage

    The phone itself; used when borrowing one or reporting a fault

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; also written telefonu. For a mobile phone the dictionary has the form telefuninu

11. a gara

    Station

    Usage

    The word for a railway station when asking the way

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; used as in a gara di Bastia (Bastia station). Italian stazione is not used

12. l'ospidale

    Hospital

    Usage

    The word for a hospital when asking where to go for illness or injury

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; also written ospedale and spidale

13. a pulizza

    Police

    Usage

    The word for the police when reporting a theft or an accident

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; it also means an insurance policy. The gendarmerie is called gendarmeria

14. a buttega

    Shop

    Usage

    A general word for a shop when looking for one

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; it also means a grocery or a workshop. Also written butteca

15. a camara

    Room

    Usage

    The word for a room when talking about a hotel stay

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; also written camera. Stanza also means a room

16. a strada

    Road

    Usage

    The word for a road or a way, used when asking directions

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; the plural is e strade

17. a famiglia

    Family

    Usage

    The word for family, used when talking about relatives

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; the forms famidda and famighja also exist

18. u nome

    Name

    Usage

    The word for a name, e.g. when giving a name for a booking

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; also written nomu. It does not distinguish between first and last name

19. a gola

    Throat

    Usage

    The word for the throat, used to say that it is sore

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; pena in gola means a sore throat. The word can also mean gluttony (greed for food)

20. a panza

    Belly / stomach

    Usage

    The word for the belly, used to describe a stomach problem

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; the colloquial word for the belly. The masculine ventre also means belly

21. l'albergu

    Hotel

    Usage

    The word for a place to stay when looking for accommodation

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; it also means an inn, a mountain hut or a shelter

22. l'aeruportu

    Airport

    Usage

    The word for an airport when asking how to get there

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; built from aereu (aircraft) + portu (port). Add the place name, e.g. l'aeruportu di Bastia

23. u cunsulatu

    Consulate

    Usage

    The office to go to when, for example, you lose your passport abroad

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; also written consulatu

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