First Phrases

Padel & pickleball · Italiano

Padel & pickleball in Italian: 10 phrases for tonight

Games are played in fours, so open sessions often need one more person. Turn up, say hello, say you are happy to be matched, and the court does the rest.

Register: Informal (friendly). "Tu" is standard on a court. Italians say "il padel" (PAH-del) and "il campo" for the court.

How to read the sounds: Italian is spoken as written. Double consonants (tt, ll, zz) are held longer. c before e/i = ch, g before e/i = j, gn = ny, gli = ly, sc before e/i = sh. Stress is in CAPITALS.

10 phrases, door to goodbye

  1. 01 · Arriving
    Ciao! Vi manca qualcuno per giocare?
    Say it like: chow! vee MAHN-kah kwal-KOO-noh pehr joh-KAH-reh
    Hi! Are you missing a player?
  2. 02 · Saying you're new
    Sono nuovo/nuova nel gruppo e sono venuto/venuta da solo/sola.
    Say it like: SOH-noh NWOH-voh/NWOH-vah nel GROOP-poh eh SOH-noh veh-NOO-toh/veh-NOO-tah dah SOH-loh/SOH-lah
    I'm new to the group and I came on my own.
  3. 03 · Asking how it works
    Come vi organizzate? Si cambia compagno?
    Say it like: KOH-meh vee or-gah-nee-DZAH-teh? see KAHM-byah kohm-PAH-nyoh
    How do you organise yourselves? Do we change partners?
  4. 04 · Small talk
    Giochi a padel da tanto?
    Say it like: JOH-kee ah PAH-del dah TAHN-toh
    Have you been playing padel for long?
  5. 05 · Small talk
    Venite sempre a questo campo?
    Say it like: veh-NEE-teh SEM-preh ah KWES-toh KAHM-poh
    Do you always come to this court?
  6. 06 · Small talk
    E tu, dove abiti?
    Say it like: eh too, DOH-veh AH-bee-tee
    And you, where do you live?
  7. 07 · Being a beginner
    Sono un/una principiante, va bene?
    Say it like: SOH-noh oon/OO-nah preen-chee-PYAHN-teh, vah BEH-neh
    I'm a beginner, is that okay?
  8. 08 · Cheering a shot
    Bel colpo! Bellissima palla!
    Say it like: bel KOHL-poh! bel-LEES-see-mah PAHL-lah
    Nice shot! Great ball!
  9. 09 · Calling the ball
    Mia! / Scusa, quella era tua.
    Say it like: MEE-ah / SKOO-zah, KWEL-lah EH-rah TOO-ah
    Mine! / Sorry, that one was yours.
  10. 10 · Leaving & keeping in touch
    Grazie per la partita. Mi aggiungi al gruppo WhatsApp?
    Say it like: GRAH-tsyeh pehr lah par-TEE-tah. mee ad-JOON-jee al GROOP-poh WAHTS-ahp
    Thanks for the game. Will you add me to the WhatsApp group?

3 things you will probably hear

  1. H1 · You may hear
    Siamo in tre, ne manca uno.
    Say it like: SYAH-moh een treh, neh MAHN-kah OO-noh
    There are three of us, we need one more.
  2. H2 · You may hear
    Hai la racchetta? Se no, te ne presto una.
    Say it like: eye lah rahk-KET-tah? seh noh, teh neh PRES-toh OO-nah
    Do you have a racket? If not, I'll lend you one.
  3. H3 · You may hear
    Cambiamo campo.
    Say it like: kahm-BYAH-moh KAHM-poh
    Let's switch sides.

Go and try it

Find padel and pickleball sessions on Come Alone

Quick answers

What do I say when I arrive alone at a padel or pickleball session in Italian?

Start with: "Ciao! Vi manca qualcuno per giocare?" (Hi! Are you missing a player?). Then say you are new: "Sono nuovo/nuova nel gruppo e sono venuto/venuta da solo/sola." (I'm new to the group and I came on my own.)

Should I use informal or formal Italian at a padel or pickleball session?

"Tu" is standard on a court. Italians say "il padel" (PAH-del) and "il campo" for the court.

How do I ask to meet again after a padel or pickleball session in Italian?

Try: "Grazie per la partita. Mi aggiungi al gruppo WhatsApp?" (Thanks for the game. Will you add me to the WhatsApp group?)

Same evening, another language

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Italian, another evening

Pub quiz Padel & pickleball Run club Sauna Book club Dinner with strangers Language café

All 7 × 6 cards · Phrases for a specific event near you

How it works

  1. Pick the evening and the language people will speak.
  2. Read the ten phrases in order: they follow the evening from the door to goodbye. Tap the speaker to hear each one in your device's voice.
  3. Print the card or keep it open on your phone. Native-speaker review is still pending; a "check" mark flags a phrase we are least sure of.
  4. Find the event on Come Alone, open it in Meet & Mint to see who else is going, and say the first phrase for real.

firstphrases.app/tonight/padel/it/ · Meet & Mint