Greetings in Italian vary depending on the formality of the situation, the time of day, and the relationship between the people greeting each other. Here are some examples:
Informal greetings:
- Ciao: This is the most common informal greeting, used among friends, family, and young people. It can be used both to greet someone when you meet them and when you part ways.
- Salve: Another informal greeting, similar to “ciao.” It can be used in slightly more formal settings or with people you don’t know well.
- Ciao ragazzi/e: An informal way to greet a group of friends or young people.
- Come stai/stai? An informal question to ask how the other person is doing. You can respond with “Sto bene,” “Tutto bene,” “Non male,” etc.
- Come va? Another informal question similar to “Come stai?”.
Formal greetings:
- Buongiorno: A formal greeting used in the morning, until around 1:00 PM.
- Buon pomeriggio: A formal greeting used in the afternoon, from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
- Buonasera: A formal greeting used in the evening, from 6:00 PM onwards.
- Buonanotte: A greeting used to wish someone a good night.
- Giorno: A formal and generic greeting that can be used at any time of day.
- Piacere di conoscerla/o: A phrase used to introduce yourself to someone for the first time.
- Come posso aiutarla/o? A phrase used to offer your help to someone.
Greetings to say goodbye:
- Arrivederci: The most common greeting to say goodbye, it means “see you soon.”
- A presto: Another informal way to say “arrivederci.”
- Ci vediamo: An informal way to say “arrivederci.”
- Alla prossima: An informal way to say “arrivederci,” used to indicate that you will see each other again in the future.
- Buona giornata/pomeriggio/serata: A wish for a good day, afternoon, or evening.
- Buona notte: A wish for a good night.
