September 29, 2017
Scusi.
Excuse me, here I am/I am passing through/may I have an ice cream? Scusi is probably the word that I actually used the most in crowded Sicily and Rome! It can be used for a mild apology if you bump into someone, need to pass through, or get someone's attention. Exactly the word for social navigation!
In yet another example of Italian contradiction, a girl from Naples actually corrected me to say scusa instead, but my friend A., from Tuscany, has said that scusa is quite informal, and only used for small children. For the sake of argument, I shall err on the side of formality, as much as possible without sounding awkward...! Scusi!