Leading a Meeting in Italian: Set the Agenda and Manage Turns
Learn to lead a meeting in Italian: open the agenda, assign turns, keep time, and close each point with confidence.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
Leading a meeting in Italian is not just knowing vocabulary; it is managing the flow. You decide when to start, which point comes first, who speaks next, and when to move on. This lesson gives you precise phrases to open the agenda, give and take turns, and close items without sounding rude. You will practice standard Italian used in professional settings across Italy. Regional differences in pronunciation are noted, but the grammar and expressions are widely understood.
By the end, you can…
- open a meeting and introduce the first agenda item.
- assign turns and invite specific people to speak.
- keep time and move the discussion to the next point.
- summarize decisions and close the meeting.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Cominciamo dal primo punto all'ordine del giorno.
Let's start with the first item on the agenda.
koh-meen-CHAH-moh dahl PREE-moh POON-toh ahl-LOHR-dee-neh dehl JOHR-noh
Standard opening. Use when you are the chair and want to signal the start. 'Ordine del giorno' is the standard term for 'agenda' in a meeting.
Diamo la parola a Chiara.
Let's give the floor to Chiara.
DYAH-moh lah pah-ROH-lah ah KYAH-rah
Neutral and polite way to assign a turn. You can replace 'Chiara' with any name. Common in both formal and semi-formal meetings.
Marco, vuoi intervenire su questo punto?
Marco, do you want to speak on this point?
MAR-koh, VWOH-ee een-teh-veh-NEER-eh soo KWEH-stoh POON-toh
Direct but courteous. Use to invite a specific person without putting them on the spot too aggressively. 'Intervenire' means to speak or intervene in a discussion.
Cerchiamo di restare in tema.
Let's try to stay on topic.
chehr-KYAH-moh dee reh-STAH-reh een TEH-mah
Polite way to redirect a digression. Softer than 'Sei fuori tema' (You're off topic), which can sound blunt.
Passiamo al punto successivo.
Let's move on to the next point.
pahs-SYAH-moh ahl POON-toh soot-chehs-SEE-voh
Standard transition. Use after you have summarized or when time is short. 'Successivo' is the common word for 'next' in a sequence.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To lead a meeting, use imperative 'noi' forms (first-person plural) to propose actions: 'Cominciamo' (Let's start), 'Diamo' (Let's give), 'Passiamo' (Let's move on). These include you and the group, so they sound collaborative, not bossy. For example: 'Cominciamo dal primo punto.' 'Diamo la parola a Luca.' 'Passiamo al secondo punto.' To invite one person, use the name plus a question: 'Luca, vuoi intervenire?' This is direct but polite. To soften, add 'per favore' or use the conditional: 'Luca, potresti intervenire?' (Luca, could you speak?).
When to use it
Use 'Diamo la parola a...' when you want to explicitly assign the next turn. Use 'Marco, vuoi intervenire?' when you want to invite someone without forcing them. Use 'Cerchiamo di restare in tema' when the discussion drifts; it is polite and inclusive. Use 'Passiamo al punto successivo' when you have finished an item or time is up. In more formal meetings, you may hear 'Procediamo con il punto successivo' (Let's proceed with the next point). In informal team meetings, 'Andiamo avanti' (Let's go on) is common. Regional note: in the south, 'mo' (now) may appear in casual speech, but avoid it in formal meetings.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Bene, cominciamo. Il primo punto all'ordine del giorno è il budget.
Good, let's start. The first item on the agenda is the budget.BEH-neh, koh-meen-CHAH-moh. eel PREE-moh POON-toh ahl-LOHR-dee-neh dehl JOHR-noh eh eel BOOJ-ehtPosso dire qualcosa sul budget?
Can I say something about the budget?POHS-soh DEE-reh kwal-KOH-zah sool BOOJ-ehtCerto, ti do la parola. Ma cerchiamo di restare in tema.
Of course, I give you the floor. But let's try to stay on topic.CHEHR-toh, tee doh lah pah-ROH-lah. mah chehr-KYAH-moh dee reh-STAH-reh een TEH-mahGrazie. Allora, passiamo al punto successivo?
Thank you. So, shall we move to the next point?GRAH-tsyeh. ahl-LOH-rah, pahs-SYAH-moh ahl POON-toh soot-chehs-SEE-vohA little context goes a long way
In Italian business meetings, the chair often uses 'noi' forms to maintain a collaborative tone. Directly saying 'Stai zitto' (Shut up) is very rude; instead, use 'Un attimo, lasciami finire' (One moment, let me finish). In northern Italy, meetings may be more time-efficient; in southern Italy, relationship-building may take precedence, so allow brief pleasantries before starting. 'Ordine del giorno' is standard everywhere, but in some companies you may hear 'agenda' as a borrowed English word. When in doubt, use 'ordine del giorno'.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Conducere' for 'to lead a meeting'.
Try this instead: 'Conducere' is not a standard Italian verb. The correct verb is 'condurre' (to lead/conduct). Example: 'Lei conduce la riunione' (She leads the meeting). For 'to lead' in the sense of guiding a discussion, you can also use 'guidare': 'Guidiamo la discussione' (Let's guide the discussion).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'Let's start with the first item' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Cominciamo dal primo punto.
This uses the first-person plural imperative 'cominciamo' and the preposition 'da' + article 'il' contracted to 'dal'. You can also say 'Iniziamo dal primo punto', which is equally correct.
2You want to give the floor to Giulia. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Diamo la parola a Giulia.
This is the standard phrase. You could also say 'Giulia, a te la parola' (Giulia, the floor is yours), which is slightly more informal but still polite.
3The discussion is going off topic. How do you politely bring it back?
Show a sample answer
Cerchiamo di restare in tema.
This is inclusive and polite. Another option is 'Rimaniamo sul tema' (Let's stay on topic), which is equally acceptable.
Lead with 'noi' forms: Cominciamo, Diamo la parola, Passiamo. These keep you in charge while sounding collaborative. Use 'Cerchiamo di restare in tema' to redirect politely.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Italian into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr