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Italian · Meeting people · Beginner

How to say hello and goodbye in Italian

In shops and with people you don’t know, say “Buongiorno” until early afternoon and “Buonasera” after that. “Ciao” is for friends, family and colleagues, and works for both hello and goodbye. Leaving a shop, say “Arrivederci” or “Buona giornata”. Not sure whether to use tu or Lei? “Salve” is a safe hello.

Try it · about two minutes

Through the day you greet a shopkeeper, a neighbour and your colleagues, and say goodbye the right way.

Sound on: the shopkeeper, neighbour, colleague speaks Italian. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

The conversation

  1. It’s nine in the morning. You walk into the bakery on your street.

    You

    Buongiorno.

    Good morning.

  2. Shopkeeper, neighbour, colleague

    Che cosa desidera?

    What would you like?

    You

    Vorrei del pane, per favore.

    I’d like some bread, please.

  3. Shopkeeper, neighbour, colleague

    Grazie, arrivederci.

    Thank you, goodbye.

    You

    Arrivederci, buona giornata.

    Goodbye, have a good day.

  4. Shopkeeper, neighbour, colleague

    Come sta oggi?

    How are you today?

    You

    Bene, grazie. E lei?

    Fine, thanks. And you?

  5. Shopkeeper, neighbour, colleague

    Ciao, come stai?

    Hi, how are you?

    You

    Bene, grazie. E tu?

    Fine, thanks. And you?

  6. Shopkeeper, neighbour, colleague

    Ciao, a domani!

    Bye, see you tomorrow.

    You

    Ciao, buona serata.

    Bye, have a good evening.

Key phrases

  • Ciao, come stai?

    Hi, how are you?

  • Come sta oggi?

    How are you today?

  • Bene, grazie. E lei?

    Fine, thanks. And you?

  • Non c'è male, grazie.

    Not bad, thanks.

  • Piacere di conoscerla.

    Nice to meet you.

  • Che piacere rivederla!

    Lovely to see you again.

  • Buongiorno a tutti.

    Good morning, everyone.

  • Grazie, arrivederci.

    Thank you, goodbye.

  • Stia bene!

    Take care.

  • Teniamoci in contatto.

    Let’s keep in touch.

Good to know in Italy

Greetings through the day

  1. 1

    Buongiorno from morning until early afternoon.

  2. 2

    Buonasera after that, for hello and for goodbye. In some regions it starts straight after lunch.

  3. 3

    Buonanotte late at night, when people are heading home or to bed.

Arrivederci, not ciao, in shops

Shops, strangers

Grazie, arrivederci.

Thank you, goodbye.

Friends only

Ciao, come stai?

Hi, how are you?

Ciao is for people you’re on tu terms with: friends, family, colleagues. In shops and with people you don’t know, buongiorno, buonasera or arrivederci are safer.

Salve when unsure

Not sure whether it’s tu or Lei? “Salve” is a neutral hello that fits both.

More situations in Italian

All situations in Italian

Keep these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.