Ciao, Arrivederci, and Everything In Between: Italian Greetings 101

Planning a trip to Italy and want to learn some basic greetings? Here are some of the most common Italian expressions used from north to south.

Ciao - /tʃa.o/

The most famous way of saying ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ in Italian is ‘Ciao!’
It is used exactly the same as ‘hi’ or ‘hello’, regardless of the time of the day.
But did you know that we say ‘Ciao’ when we want to say ‘bye’?
Yes! ‘Ciao’ means both ‘hi’ and ‘bye’. We use it when we greet and say goodbye.
‘Ciao’ is, however, an informal greeting. We use it to greet a friend, a family member, or a close acquaintance. With strangers we’d rather use other ways of greetings that you can find below.
It is really common to use ‘Ciao’ + ‘bello’ when greeting a boy, and ‘bella’ when greeting a girl. ‘Bello’ and ‘bella’ mean ‘handsome’ and ‘beautiful, respectively.

Salve - /'salvə/

‘Salve’, like ‘Ciao’, is also a greeting that we use at any time of day.
However, it is considered a more formal greeting, especially when we’re not sure about the level of formality with the person we’re speaking to.
For example, we could use ‘Salve’ when we greet our child’s teacher or the clerk at the bank.
Another common use of it is as an opening greeting in an email, when we don’t know who the recipient is or the time of the day they’re going to get it.
'Salve' is also used when we say goodbye, just like 'Ciao'.

Buongiorno/ Buon giorno - /ˌbwɔnˈd͡ʒor.no/

‘Buongiorno’ or ‘Buon giorno’ - both forms acceptable in the writing-, are the exact equivalent of the English “Good morning”. It’s commonly used from dawn until noon or 1 p.m., with both friends and strangers during this time of the day.
For instance, you might use it when you greet your mom in the morning or the boss at work.

Buondì - /bwonˈdi/

‘Buondì’ is a synonym for ‘Buongiorno’. They could be used interchangeably. In fact, the word ‘dì’ translates to ‘daylight’, so basically when you say ‘buondì’ you are wishing ‘good daylight’. However, ‘Buondì’, is more colloquial than ‘buongiorno’. It’s more commonly used to greet friends and family, but not your doctor or a stranger. In those situations we’d rather say ‘buongiorno’.

Buon pomeriggio - /ˈbwɔn po.meˈrid.d͡ʒo/

‘Buon pomeriggio’ is the Italian translation for ‘Good afternoon’. It is typically used between 12 p.m and 6 p.m., but this last indication could vary depending on the season and on when the sun sets. Recently, it’s become less common to hear ‘Buon pomeriggio’ among Italians, especially youngsters. As a result, it’s seen as a more formal greeting.

Buonasera / Buona sera -  /ˌbwɔ.naˈse.ra/

‘Buonasera’ or ‘Buona sera’ - both forms are acceptable in written Italian- is the equivalent of ‘Good evening’. It is commonly used after sunset, or in some regions always after 6 p.m. You can say ‘buonasera’ when you get in a restaurant, or when you get home and greet your spouse or friends.

Buona serata - /ˌbwɔ.naˈse.rata/

‘Buona serata’, which is similar to ‘Buona sera’, has a different meaning. In fact, ‘buona serata’ can be translated as ‘have a nice evening’. It is used, specifically when you’re saying goodbye and want to wish someone a pleasant evening.
So, don’t get confused: use ‘buona sera’ when you meet someone, and ‘buona serata’ when you say goodbye.

Arrivederci - /əˌɹiːvəˈdɛətʃi/

This is the most common formal way to say goodbye when parting from someone. It is the equivalent of ‘Goodbye’ in English. You can say ‘Arrivederci’ to your doctor or your teacher, but not to your mom or your best friend- it would sound strange.

Ci vediamo - [ˈtʃi veˈd̪jaː.mo]

Literally meaning ‘See you’, it’s used in the same way as the English phrase, when you are parting and want to greet a friend, or a good acquaintance.

A presto - /a‿pˈprɛ.sto/

‘Presto’ has several meanings in Italian, and one of them is ‘soon’. So, as a greeting, ‘a presto’ can be translated as ‘See you soon’ or ‘Talk to you soon’. It is used when parting from the person you were talking to.

Buona notte/ Buonanotte - /ˌbwɔ.naˈnɔt.te/

Both forms are acceptable in written Italian and they literally mean ‘Good night’.
It’s self-explanatory that we use it when someone is going to bed and we wish them  a good night’s sleep.

Buona giornata -  /ˌbwɔnˈd͡ʒor.nata/

Would you like to wish an Italian ‘Have a good/ Nice day’? Then ‘Buona giornata’ is what you’re looking for. It is in fact used when you say goodbye to someone.
Don’t confuse it with ‘Buongiorno’, which is used when you greet someone at the start of the day.

Now that you’re familiar with these common Italian greetings, you’re ready to greet anyone you meet with confidence!
However, if you’d like to engage in a full conversation in Italian, check out the Mercury Italian Course we offer at Lingvatopia.  

Hope to see you there!