come arrivo a
/ˈko.me arˈri.vo a/word by word
The English phrase "how do I get to" is translated into Italian as come arrivo a.
While come arrivo a is a direct way to ask how you personally reach a place, you can also use the impersonal form come si arriva a to ask how one gets to a destination in a more general sense.
Meaning: how do I get to…? (phrase)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form come arrivo a is direct and common in casual conversation. For a more polite approach when asking a stranger for directions, you can use come posso arrivare a, which translates to "how can I get to". If you wish to be very formal, you can say Potrebbe dirmi come arrivare a (Could you tell me how to get to) or use the informal Mi puoi dire come arrivare a (Can you tell me how to get to).
How does it change in a sentence?
When using this phrase, the preposition a (to) must undergo contraction, known as articulated prepositions, when it is followed by a definite article.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of come arrivo a is /ˈko.me arˈri.vo a/. The word has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word arrivo comes from the verb 'arrivare', which traces back to the idea of 'reaching the shore' or 'reaching a bank'.
- In Italy, when asking come arrivo a, it is common to use hand gestures, such as a slight tilt of the head or open palms, to signal a request for help before speaking.
- If you ask come arrivo a in a city like Venice, the response will likely involve calli (narrow streets) and ponti (bridges) rather than standard street names.
Examples in context
- Come arrivo allo zoo?How do I get to the zoo?This sentence shows how to ask for directions to the zoo using come arrivo a.Tatoeba #7681488 by Guybrush88, translation #4038992 by CK
- Come arrivo al Gate 5?How do I get to Gate 5?This sentence shows how to ask for directions to Gate 5 using come arrivo a.Tatoeba #2993074 by Guybrush88, translation #72484 by CK
- Come arrivo a casa tua?How do I get to your house?This sentence shows how to ask for directions to a person's house using come arrivo a.Tatoeba #6696924 by Guybrush88, translation #6694824 by CK
- Come si arriva a Piazza San Marco? Mi scusi, potrebbe dirmi come arrivare a Piazza San Marco?How do I get to St. Mark's Square? Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to St. Mark's Square?
- Come si va alla spiaggia? Mi puoi dire come arrivare alla spiaggia?How do I get to the beach? Can you tell me how to get to the beach?
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro is asking Sofia for directions on the street.
- AlessandroScusi, come arrivo a via Dante?Excuse me, how do I get to via Dante?
- SofiaDeve girare a destra dopo il semaforo.You have to turn right after the traffic light.
- AlessandroÈ molto lontano da qui?Is it very far from here?
- SofiaNo, è proprio vicino.No, it is quite close.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (come, arrivo, a) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
