Greetings and Farewells

Now that you understand Italian pronunciation, it is time to put it into practice with real communication. Greetings and farewells are the first words you will use in any interaction with Italian speakers. In this lesson, you will learn the essential greetings, farewells, and the crucial distinction between informal and formal address.

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Overview

Italian has a rich system of greetings that changes depending on the time of day, the formality of the situation, and your relationship with the person you are speaking to. The most important distinction is between tu (informal "you") and Lei (formal "you").

Cultural Note: Italians place great value on greetings. It is considered rude to walk into a shop, restaurant, or office without greeting the people there. Always say buongiorno or buonasera when entering, even to strangers.

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Informal Greetings

Ciao — The Universal Greeting

Ciao (pronounced "chow") is perhaps the most famous Italian word in the world. It can be used as both a greeting ("hello") and a farewell ("bye"). However, it is informal — use it only with friends, family, children, and peers your own age.