Kilo Lingo
Italian grammar Part of Chapter 3

CEFR A2

5 min read

Test yourself (23 questions)

Italian Filler Words: allora, cioè, insomma, boh, dai

By Michael McGettrickUpdated 21 October 2026

Spoken Italian is full of small words that carry no facts at all, like and . They buy time, explain, change topic, and check the listener is still with you. Textbooks skip them; every conversation uses them. Here is the set, sorted by what each one does.

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Pick the right one

0/3

Pick the filler that fits the situation.

  1. A friend asks where the cat is. You have no idea. You shrug and say:

  2. Someone thanks you for a small favour. You say:

  3. A friend asks if you would like a week in Sicily. You would love to. You say:

The whole system on one screen

JobFillers
Buying time, , ,
Explaining, , ,
Summing up, , , ,
Getting attention, , ,
Reacting, , , ,

All of them are spoken Italian. They are not slang, and nobody will think you rude for using them with a friend, but they do not belong in an essay or a formal email.

How casual each one sounds
Fine anywhereFriends only
  1. dunque
  2. allora
  3. comunque
  4. cioè
  5. boh
  6. tipo

Buying time: ehm, beh, allora, dunque

The commonest job of all is holding the floor while you think. English says um or well; Italian has four words.

ItalianEnglishWhen
er, umwhile you look for the next word
wellstarting an answer
so, right thenopening, or thinking aloud
so, let me seethinking aloud, a little formal
  • ... . - Um... I don't know.
  • , . - Well, it depends.
  • , ? - So, what are you having?
  • , ... - Right, let's see...

is the most used of the four, and the one to learn first: it opens a conversation, starts a story and buys a second, all at once.

Explaining: cioè, praticamente, tipo, diciamo

These come in when you correct yourself, or say something more loosely.

ItalianEnglishWhen
I mean, that iscorrecting, explaining
basicallysumming up loosely
likeapproximating, very casual
let's saysoftening a word
or rathercorrecting yourself upward
  • , , . - I'll come at eight, I mean, half past eight.
  • . - Basically, he did everything.
  • . - It was like midnight.
  • , , . - It's, let's say, a bit pricey.
  • , , . - See you at eight, or rather, nine.

and are the two that get overused: some young speakers put one in every sentence, the way English speakers use like.

Summing up and moving on: insomma, comunque, quindi, ecco

These steer a story: cut to the end, change topic, give the result.

ItalianEnglishWhen
anyway, in shortcutting to the end
anywaychanging topic
sogiving the result
there, that's itclosing, or exactly!
oh well, fineaccepting, with a sigh
  • , . - Anyway, he didn't come.
  • , . - Anyway, see you tomorrow.
  • ? - So are you coming or not?
  • , . - There, that's all.
  • , . - Oh well, it doesn't matter.

on its own, with a falling voice, is an answer in itself: not great. ? - . - How did it go? - So-so. is , all right, squashed into one word.

Getting attention: senti, guarda, sai, dai

These open a request, or check the listener is with you. Two of them change with and .

tu (a friend)Lei (a stranger)What do the colours mean?
ItalianTo a friendTo a stranger
listen, excuse me
look
  • , ? - Listen, have you got a minute?
  • , ... - Excuse me... (to a stranger)
  • , . - Look, I haven't got time.
  • , . - It's nice, you know.
  • , ! - Come on, let's go!

is come on: it pushes, cheers on, or, as !, means no way! or come off it! A plain ? or ? at the end turns a sentence into a check:

  • , ? - You' coming too, aren't you?
  • , ? - It's nice, isn't it?

Reacting: boh, mah, magari, figurati, infatti

The listener's half of the conversation: a shrug, a doubt, a wish, agreement.

ItalianEnglishWhen
dunnoa shrug: no idea
hmm, who knowsdoubt
I wish!; maybea wish, or a guess
don't mention itthe answer to thanks
exactly, that's rightagreeing
exactlyagreeing, the plain one
exactly, my pointagreeing, a little pointed
?really?surprise
  • ? - . - Where's the cat? - No idea.
  • , . - Hmm, I'm not sure.
  • ? - ! - Are you coming with us? - I wish!
  • ! - ! - Thanks! - Don't mention it!
  • . - . - It's expensive. - Exactly.
  • . - ! - It's expensive. - That's what I said!
  • ? . - Really? I didn't know.

! on its own is I wish! or I'd love that!; inside a sentence it usually means maybe: . - Maybe I'll come tomorrow. (to a stranger, ) is more casual and warmer than , the neutral reply to thanks.

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
, ., .correcting a wrong guess: only agrees
. .to a teacher, is too casual
, !, !a stranger gets the form
!!after thanks: magari means I wish

Fillers are seasoning. One or two in a sentence sound natural; five in a row sounds like a parody.

What to do next

  1. Answer the next question you are asked in Italian with or first.
  2. Listen for , and in any Italian video: you will hear them within a minute.
  3. Read tu and Lei in Italian for when to say and when .

Practise: test yourself

Matching

0/6

Match each filler to what it means.

Sort into groups

0/5

Who would you say it to: a friend, or a stranger you call signore or signora?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Pick the right one

0/5

Pick the filler that fits the situation.

  1. A friend asks where the cat is. You have no idea. You shrug and say:

  2. Someone thanks you for a small favour. You say:

  3. A friend asks if you would like a week in Sicily. You would love to. You say:

  4. Your friend says the bar is expensive. You agree:

  5. You want to stop a stranger in the street. You say:

Spot the mistake

0/3

Tap the filler that does not fit.

Complete the story

0/4

Choose the filler that fits each gap.

Friday night

, cosa facciamo stasera? Il cinema è chiuso, restiamo a casa. , mangiamo una pizza. È una bella idea, ?

Gap 1 of 4

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Frequently asked questions

What does mean in Italian?
I don't know, said with a shrug: ? . It is very common and perfectly friendly, but it is a shrug, not a sentence, so it can sound offhand. To a teacher or a stranger, say so instead.
What does mean in Italian?
That is, I mean. explains or corrects what you have just said: , , (I'll come at eight, I mean, half past eight). In writing it is the plain that is (i.e.). In casual speech some people start every other sentence with it, the way English speakers use like.
Does mean in fact?
Only in the supporting sense, and this is the classic trap. agrees and confirms: è . (it's expensive. Exactly / that's right), or , a (he was tired, and in fact he went to bed). It never corrects. For actually, when you are contradicting what someone thinks, Italian says : (actually, I'm not Italian).
What does mean?
In short, anyway: it sums up or cuts to the end of a story. , (anyway, he didn't come). Said on its own with a falling voice, as an answer to how did it go?, it means not great: ? .
What is the difference between and ?
The same verb, , listen, in two forms of address. is the form, for friends and family: , ? is the form, for strangers, shop staff and anyone you would call or : , . and , look, split the same way.