Classroom Italian and workplace Italian are not the same register. In many Italian workplaces relationships carry real weight: the coffee with colleagues, a proper "Buongiorno" when you arrive and a little personal conversation before business are part of how trust is built, not time wasted. At the same time, professionalism and hierarchy are respected — formal Lei with managers and clients is the safe default, and titles such as Dottore or Dottoressa (commonly used for university graduates) appear in emails and meetings. Some expectations vary more than people assume: punctuality and how strictly a meeting sticks to its agenda can differ noticeably between regions, sectors and individual companies, so watch how your own team works rather than relying on stereotypes. Asagno covers this as its own strand alongside grammar: meeting phrases, how to write a professional email, how to update a team on progress, and the cultural cues — when to switch to tu, how to disagree politely, how much small talk is normal — that shape how those phrases land.
What you'll learn
- Meeting phrases: raising a point, giving a status update, politely disagreeing
- Writing a professional email: oggetto (subject line), Gentile…, a clear request, Cordiali saluti
- The Lei/tu question: who uses which, and how to notice when a colleague invites you to switch
- Workplace vocabulary by field, plus the words for common HR matters: il contratto, la busta paga (payslip), le ferie (paid leave), il periodo di prova (probation period)
- Culture notes throughout: relationship-building, hierarchy, and why punctuality norms vary by region and company
The same request, two registers
"Le scrivo per aggiornarLa sullo stato del progetto: la prima fase è conclusa e contiamo di consegnare entro venerdì." — "I am writing to update you on the status of the project: the first phase is complete and we expect to deliver by Friday." Formal (Le, aggiornarLa), specific, and it leads with the information your manager actually needs.
"Scusa, hai un minuto? Vorrei chiederti un parere su una cosa." — "Sorry, have you got a minute? I would like to ask your opinion about something." A polite request between colleagues on tu terms — softer and more personal, and completely normal in an Italian office.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use Lei or tu at work?
Start with Lei for managers, clients and senior people you do not know, and follow their lead. In many offices colleagues move to tu quickly — someone saying "diamoci del tu" (let's use tu with each other) is your clear signal to switch.
Is small talk expected in Italian workplaces?
Generally some, yes — a short personal exchange before getting to business is usually read as polite rather than a distraction. How much varies by company and role, so take your cue from colleagues.
Does this replace learning grammar?
No — workplace vocabulary and culture notes sit alongside the regular grammar path, not instead of it; you need both to actually communicate at work.