The Sardinian Language: Words and Phrases Worth Knowing
What surprises many travelers: Sardinian ("Limba Sarda") is not an Italian dialect, but an independent Romance language with a centuries-old history – spoken by an estimated 1 to 1.3 million people.
One of the oldest Romance languages
Linguists often consider Sardinian especially conservative among the Romance languages, since it preserves many features of Latin that have long disappeared from Italian, French, or Spanish. Within the island there are several varieties – mainly Logudorese (north/central) and Campidanese (south) – as well as distinct languages in individual regions: Gallurese and Sassarese in the north (with Corsican-Tuscan influence), and Algherese, a Catalan-speaking enclave in Alghero. In 2006, an experimental shared written standard, the "Limba Sarda Comuna," was introduced.
A few words worth knowing
- Adiosu – Goodbye
- Ajò! – Let's go! / Come on!
- Ba' beni – Go well / Take care
- Cara/Caru – dear (as a form of address)
- Deo t'amo – I love you (Logudorese)
- Gràtzias – Thank you
- Ita nc'est? – What's up? / How's it going?
Why this matters for travelers
You don't need to speak a word of Sardinian to get by on the island – Italian works everywhere. But an appreciation for the linguistic diversity helps you better understand Sardinia's cultural distinctiveness: place names, family names, and many local customs can often be traced directly to Sardinian roots.