I just received an email from a friend in Italy whose father has died. What would be an appropriate choice of words to express my (actually our -- Mike's and my) sympathy? Although she became a very good friend, she also was our Italian teacher, so I don't want to make any embarrassing errors when I write back to tell her how sorry we are.

Thanks,
Roz

Roz, I'm quite bad at expressing sympathy... but still...
Moltissime condoglianze per la tua perdita
would do
Of course this is a very short and somehow "official" way to put it, if you want to say more and want me to correct it you're welcome to post or send me a private message!
You could write something like: siamo molto dispiaciuti di sentire di tuo padre e vogliamo che tu sappia che ti siamo vicini. (Moltissime condoglianze per la tua perdita.)

I started this post writing some usual sentences.
Then stopped and instead I would encourage you to write just as words come together.


The last thing your friend will notice will be correctness, what she will receive and appreciate will be your friendly closeness and your effort to communicate.

In a similar occasion a friend wrote to me. I don't remember the words but I do remember her sincere and genuine concern.

A chiseled sentence wouldn't have added anything.

Edited: sorry Giulia, I didn't see your post (was deleting mine )

Thanks, Giulia and Paolo,

In this phrase

quote:

vogliamo che tu sappia che ti siamo vicini

I know literally that the last part means "we are close to you." Is this a way of saying, "you are in our thoughts"?

- Roz

To me it means "you are in our thoughts", "feel as if we were near you comforting you"...
Again, depending on how close a friend you may want to say something more personal... yet, usual American expressions of sympathy are difficult to translate, but feel free to post any doubt or request for correction!