Portofino

“Come voi mio amico?” Gibberish?? Well, for me this was as alien as being asked “innit?” in the most unexpected and unjustifiable contexts!! At least in Portofino, Italy, they were being hospitable and authentic!!

In Portofino, it might be a good idea to make the dictionary your new best friend, lest you land up with a prospective pet dished out to satiate your taste buds, or perhaps something more catastrophic (never over estimate your luck).

Portofino, is as exotic as it sounds, with extremely helpful locals (well, hope your luck is as good as mine). Though it is not necessary to be a linguist when travelling, it might help to learn a couple of important phrases before you travel.

Make sure you lock your hesitation in a vault back home when you travel to Portofino, for it will get you nowhere!! (Literally)

Portofino is seasoned to all the attention it draws especially from tourists, the locals understand the verbal disconnect. So if you are lost do not hesitate to make gestures or even draw pictures to communicate!

Here are a few basics, that might help you around,

No – No (it IS universal, I guess!)
Si (pronounced see) – Yes
Ciao (chow)- Hello
Parla inglese? (Par ~ la een ~ glay ~ ze) – Do you speak English?
Dov’è…? (doe ~ way) – Where is…
Porto: Harbour
Ristorante: Restaurant
Pollo: Chicken
Pesce: Fish
Maiale: Pig (pork)
Ospedale: Hospital
Aeroporto: Airport
Museo: Museum
Bus: Bus
Quanto costa? (quan ~ toe cos ~ ta) – How much is it?
Come ottengo: How do I get to …?
Vorrei ottenere: I would like to get a/an …

Portofino, characteristic of Italy is full of lively, happy, and zestful locals, they love to enjoy life. You will see this as soon as you set foot in a celebration called Portofino!

Written for Portofino.com by Nicola