Italian Work Vocabulary: 60 Essential Words for the Office, Meetings, and Beyond
Whether you are working remotely with an Italian team, doing business travel to Milan, or simply want to talk about your job in Italian, having solid workplace vocabulary is essential. This guide covers 60 words organised into practical categories: job titles, the office space, meetings, tasks, and working conditions. Each section also gives you cultural context — because Italian work culture has its own rules that vocabulary alone cannot explain. Knowing the words is step one. Knowing when to use them is step two.
Italian workplaces vary enormously depending on the sector, the company size, and the region. A startup in Milan will feel much like a startup in Berlin or Amsterdam — informal, English-speaking, 'tu' from day one. A traditional law firm in Rome or a family-owned manufacturing company in Emilia-Romagna may feel quite different: hierarchical, title-conscious, with meetings conducted in formal Italian and relationships built over long lunches. Understanding which environment you are in is as important as knowing the vocabulary.
Job Titles
La direttrice ha approvato il progetto. — The director approved the project.
Sono il responsabile delle vendite. — I am the head of sales.
L'azienda ha 200 dipendenti. — The company has 200 employees.
I miei colleghi sono molto simpatici. — My colleagues are very friendly.
Lavoro come collaboratore esterno. — I work as an external collaborator.
Abbiamo assunto un consulente marketing. — We hired a marketing consultant.
La stagista ha fatto un ottimo lavoro. — The intern did an excellent job.
Il mio capo è molto esigente. — My boss is very demanding.
The Office Space
Lavoro in un ufficio in centro. — I work in an office in the city centre.
La mia scrivania è sempre in ordine. — My desk is always tidy.
La riunione è in sala riunioni alle 10. — The meeting is in the conference room at 10.
Vai allo sportello per i documenti. — Go to the service desk for the documents.
La stampante è rotta di nuovo. — The printer is broken again.
Ho lasciato il computer portatile a casa. — I left my laptop at home.
Ti chiamo dal telefono aziendale. — I'll call you from my work phone.
Non riesco ad entrare senza il badge. — I can't get in without my badge.
Meetings and Communication
Ho tre riunioni oggi. — I have three meetings today.
Ho un colloquio di lavoro domani. — I have a job interview tomorrow.
Qual è l'ordine del giorno della riunione? — What is the agenda for the meeting?
Qualcuno ha preso il verbale? — Did someone take the minutes?
Stiamo lavorando su un progetto importante. — We are working on an important project.
La scadenza è venerdì prossimo. — The deadline is next Friday.
Il budget per questo trimestre è limitato. — The budget for this quarter is limited.
Abbiamo presentato la proposta al cliente. — We presented the proposal to the client.
Tasks and Processes
Gestisco un team di cinque persone. — I manage a team of five people.
Ho organizzato la riunione per le 14. — I organised the meeting for 2pm.
Presenterò i risultati domani. — I will present the results tomorrow.
Il direttore ha approvato il piano. — The director approved the plan.
Collaboro con il team di design. — I collaborate with the design team.
Possiamo fissare un appuntamento per questa settimana? — Can we schedule a meeting for this week?
Manda in copia anche il responsabile. — CC the manager too.
Ho allegato il report all'email. — I attached the report to the email.
Working Conditions
Ho firmato un contratto a tempo indeterminato. — I signed a permanent contract.
Il mio stipendio è aumentato quest'anno. — My salary increased this year.
Ho diritto a 25 giorni di ferie. — I am entitled to 25 days of annual leave.
È in congedo di maternità. — She is on maternity leave.
Lavoro in smart working tre giorni a settimana. — I work remotely three days a week.
Lavoro part-time il pomeriggio. — I work part-time in the afternoons.
Ho fatto molti straordinari questo mese. — I did a lot of overtime this month.
Ho superato il colloquio di lavoro! — I passed the job interview!
Italian work contract terminology requires its own vocabulary. A 'contratto a tempo indeterminato' (permanent contract, literally 'contract of indefinite time') is the most prized form of employment — stable, difficult to terminate, and with full social security protections. A 'contratto a tempo determinato' is a fixed-term contract, often for one or two years. A 'contratto di collaborazione' or 'partita IVA' involves working as a freelancer with your own VAT registration number — increasingly common in Italy's gig economy but offering less worker protection. The verb 'essere precario' (to be precarious) describes working in unstable, short-term contracts, and it has become a defining social issue for younger Italian workers.
Useful Meeting Phrases
Iniziamo la riunione — ci siete tutti?
Let's start the meeting — is everyone here?
Posso avere la parola?
May I have the floor?
Ho una domanda a riguardo.
I have a question about that.
Siamo d'accordo su questo punto?
Are we all in agreement on this point?
Facciamo un punto della situazione.
Let's do a status update.
Chi si occupa di questo?
Who is handling this?
Italian work culture values titles and formality, especially in larger or traditional companies. <strong>Always use '<em>Lei</em>' with clients and superiors unless they specifically invite you to use '<em>tu</em>'.</strong> In startups and tech companies, '<em>tu</em>' is the norm from day one. Lunch matters enormously in Italian business culture — a shared meal is still a key relationship-building moment, and refusing a lunch invitation can seem unfriendly. <strong>The post-lunch coffee (<em>il caffè</em>) is often where the real deal-making happens.</strong> Never underestimate the espresso.
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