ciao
/ˈt͡ʃa.o/
ciao is the Italian way to say hello and goodbye.
ciao is a versatile expression used to mean both hello and goodbye.
Meaning: transliteration of the Italian greeting or farewell (intj)
Which one should you use?
In formal situations, such as when speaking with strangers or superiors, you should use Buongiorno (good day) or Arrivederci (goodbye) instead of ciao.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ciao is an informal greeting used with friends, family and people you know well. For a formal greeting meaning hello, you can use Salve.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Milan and the surrounding areas of Lombardy, the pronunciation of ciao might sound more like sciao.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃa.o/. The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st of 2.
When do people say it?
The word ciao is derived from the Venetian language.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Ciao, come stai?Hi, how are you?
- Ciao, a domani!Bye, see you tomorrow!
- Ciao a tutti!Hello everyone!
Example conversation
Martina and Matteo run into each other on the street.
- MartinaCiao, Matteo!Hi, Matteo!
- MatteoCiao, Martina. Come va?Hi, Martina. How's it going?
- MartinaTutto bene, grazie.Everything is fine, thanks.
- MatteoBene, ciao!Good, bye!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ciao, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ciao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
