Language barrier nervousness!

Don't worry at all about language.
I would however have qualms about such a fast paced itinerary--two-night stays have you checking in and out all the time. It's set now, so I'm all for running with it and enjoying it, but make absolutely sure you have packed light. That makes things go more smoothly, though with three teens...good luck!

PS A forum member (who has not replied here) just messaged me saying my response was "condescending" and "passive-aggressively helpful," and directing me to a post on the general page that I have not read. I want you to know I meant no offense or had any intention to make you feel bad. I genuinely feel that packing light will make this plan go more smoothly. If you had posted the itinerary, you would have received that feedback to be sure. And this is also just the way I talk--direct, humorous (to me anyway). I have made more than 4000 posts, which I think attest to my intention to be helpful. I am sure your family will have a fantastic experience, and your language efforts will add to the trip. But darn it, those girls will need to be up and at 'em early each day, and I think knowing that in advance will help.

I travel to 12-15 countries a year. It's impossible to learn all the languages.

If you can speak a little of the language, great, but don't lose sleep over it. You won't offend anyone. You can still experience the food, the culture and all the rest.

You'd be surprised how many people in the service industry speak English or enough to get by.

In fact, in every country I've been in this past year, as soon as I say I don't speak the language, they almost automatically switch to English. It happened to me today. English is the most spoken second language in the world.

And when that doesn't work, I use Google Translate.

I have visited 81 foreign countries since 1981 and never had a significant problem with language.

Of course, I have had minor issues temporarily when trying to communicate with some locals, but it was never a real problem.

Still, it never hurts to know some basic things like good morning, thank you, where is the toilet, please bring the check, etc.

Don't worry. Many many people of this world speak English. Remember Google Translate is your best friend.

Welcome to the forum!

Don’t worry about the language
Use the phrases you know with a smile and you’ll be fine
English is spoken almost everywhere/.especially in the tourist industry

Of you could do what my husband does -he just responds to everything with “prego!”
It works.

Agree with Pam
You won’t have much more than 1 full day in each location so pack light, plan well ( have top priority venues pre/booked)
Have you worked out your transportation?

Just a note-Vico Equense is not on the Amalfi Coast
It is on the Sorrentine Coast between Pompeii and Sorrento

Hello gjturley, and welcome to the forum!

My advice is learn what you can and then use it. Don't let the hesitancy stop you from saying buongiorno or buonasera when entering a shop or business. First it's a courtesy and good manners and it will also let them know you don't speak Italian from your pronunciation so they can adjust. Italians are happy you're trying and will work to understand you as much as they can. I've been slowly learning more Italian and it is a complex language and I guarantee you will get things wrong but Italians won't generally correct you (unless you ask) and if they can understand what you're saying they'll play along so you get to practice.

The tourists that come into a shop, say nothing, touch a few things and leave without saying something are looked down on. But those that come say 'Hello' when they enter the shop, acknowledge the people that work there and then say 'Goodbye' when they leave are considered good customers even if you don't buy anything.

But the Italians are talkers so the thing that comes up again and again is don't let the fear of saying the wrong thing keep you from saying something. As I heard an English girl who was in Rome and spoke no Italian said "If you say nothing they assume you are bored or boring. Just say something so they understand you're trying to engage. Personally this is a hard lessons for me so that's why I have paid so much attention to the topic.

That said I also have to second they concern that your schedule seems very fast paced. Keep in mind 2 nights in a location is only really one full day. The rest of the days you'll probably have your bags with you and you'll be spending time travelling and checking into/out of hotels etc. With only one full day in the big 3 cities of Venice, Florence and Rome this seems like just a quick sample of places that could really benefit from more time.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

Even if all you remember is the polite greetings, please and thank you, and basic directions, you'll be miles ahead of most American tourists. A phrase book/dictionary can be a lifesaver. Just remember to use greetings when you enter a shop or before talking to someone, even in english if you have to. Not speaking the local language is more forgivable than bad manners.

Thank you all so much for all of the replies! We are a fairly interactive group so it would be awkward for us to not engage our hosts!

Yes, fairly tight turn-arounds in each location (I should have said Vico Equense is 3 nights). Our thought was to get ourselves introduced to each region of Italy and that the next time we visit we can be inspired to stay a bit longer in one specific area. We are typically scheduled to arrive fairly early (sans train strikes), have arrangements with our hosts to store our luggage and our first day/night in each stop will be very leisurely - explore, go to the market, make dinner at the home and eat on the terraza!

AirBnB's and train travel have all been booked (where we could) as well as the excursions (just Venice, Florence and Rome) have all been booked.

We are so excited! Thank you again for all the input.

-Greg

Welcome to the forum. I listened to YouTube Travel Italian today while out walking. No matter how much I listen to it, it won’t sink into my old mind. So I settled on the basic polite words: please, thank you, hello, good bye and the most important where’s the bathroom.

Most people speak at least some English. If it’s a very small village not so much but that’s when Google translate comes in handy. Bottom line is be polite, smile, and thank people when they try to help.

Have a great trip. Come back afterwards with your trip report. Buon Viaggio!

Since you've been practicing for six weeks, you are way ahead of 85-90 % of all the americans who visit Italy. Relax and enjoy the trip -- you'll be just fine. Especially if you remember "Vino!".

If your English language skills are good, you’ll be fine at all those locations. I’m afraid you‘ll have to venture to some less touristed locations to practice your Italian skills. In the places you are going, you’ll hear more English than Italian.

Hi -

In my experience, if you try to speak, even haltingly and briefly, in the language of almost any European country, when it’s obviously not your native tongue, they’ll love you for it, and of course ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ always go a long way in whatever language. The only time I have experienced a slight problem was in Paris where I was on the wrong end of a Gallic shrug despite my best schoolboy French and in Barcelona where I wheeled out my best Castilian Spanish, only to be answered in perfect English. Turned out that as I couldn’t speak Catalan, then the locals would happily speak English as opposed to ‘regular Spanish’, although I think I still got points for trying.

Oh, and I know some words in Welsh and Scots Gaelic, although I’d never attempt to speak it in case of a linguistic and pronunciation disaster!

Ian

We just returned from our first trip to Italy. We were in Rome, Siena, Florence, Cinque Terre and Milan. All the italian we knew was Good morning and Thank you. Had no trouble at all with language. Google translate helps.
Definitely pack light. We couldn't due to various reasons and had tough time hauling big suitcases. Thankfully only a part of our trip was on trains.
Enjoy your trip!

It's great that you have been practicing for 6 weeks! I did something similar and always attempted to use my limited vocabulary before resorting to English. It's very satisfying and the effort was very much appreciated in most cases. Knowing formal from informal terms and using them in their appropriate situations is helpful too as well as respectful. If you are coffee drinkers, it's useful to review the vocabulary for ordering different beverages at a "bar". You and your family are sure to have an amazing trip!

Hey there, sounds like you're more prepared than most tourists from anywhere in the world who travel to Italy! I have always found them to be very generous to foreigners who try to speak their language, and more & more Italians speak great English. My Italian was non-existent the first time I traveled there, but it's improved over the decades, and I've enjoyed all the various chats along the way, sometimes over food, yay, so I hope you have a fabulous visit!

Another warm welcome to the forum, Greg!
I'm sure that you're VERY excited! Language barrier? Pish. You're going to be fine; just use any manner words/phrases you've gotten nailed down and relax.

Valadelphia's gentle advice to travel light was nothing but well-intended! With a fast-paced (!!) itinerary like yours and the need to get up and out early every other day, the less weight to carry/fewer items to have to keep track of, the better. Your young ladies may want to create checklists for making sure they've rounded up all their stuff before heading off to the train stations? Doing a lot of the packing up the night before a move should help too.

You may also be lifting/carrying more than maybe you think you will.

That this is your first big trip all together, and that your tribe has never traveled abroad before also weighed, I'm sure, into the thoughtful advice meant to help you move as nimbly as possible. Assuming you're Americans, I'm guessing the whole rail-travel thing is new to you too? The trains are great - a fun part of the adventure! - but give yourself some extra time the first couple of location moves to get comfortable with the schedule boards, finding your platform and all that. You'll be old hands by the time you hit Florence!

I am absolutely floored by all of these incredible responses! Thank you all so much. I feel a lot better about my "language nervousness" after reading these responses!!

All 5 of us only have our carry-on backpacks for everything we're bringing. My wife truly subscribed to the Rick Steves rule of packing light. The only non-essential item I am taking is our JBL Bluetooth speaker - we love to sit around playing card games and chatting at night and some of these terrazze that I have booked are calling our names!

Thank you again one and all for the incredible advice, words of wisdom and general awesome-ness! Grazie mille!

Good for you for being a step ahead of SEVERAL games (language, luggage, etc)!!!
Just one additional note? I'll highly recommend after-dark walkabouts in the cities you'll be visiting, especially as you have so little time for them. It's a good way to extend your sightseeing opportunities, and the monuments, piazzas, fountains, etc. take on a completely different ambience when illuminated.

It's completely safe for after-dinner rambles too; lots of others will be out and about doing the same.