Buongiorno, signore
/ˌbwɔnˈd͡ʒor.no siɲˈɲo.re/word by word
The English phrase "good morning, ladies" is translated into Italian as Buongiorno, signore.
Buongiorno, signore is a polite greeting used in the morning when addressing a group of women.
Which one should you use?
You can also use Buongiorno ragazze to say "good morning girls" in an informal context.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase is pronounced /ˌbwɔnˈdʒor.no siɲˈɲo.re/. It has 5 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- If you are greeting ladies in a professional environment, you might hear the response Buongiorno, dottore if one of the women holds a university degree, regardless of her actual profession.
- The greeting Buongiorno is so versatile that it can be used as a polite way to say 'goodbye' when leaving a shop or office in the morning, rather than just as an arrival greeting.
- The term signore is a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'sire', as both trace back to ancient roots of authority and age.
Example conversation
Alessandro greets two women entering a boutique.
- AlessandroBuongiorno, signore. Benvenute!Good morning, ladies. Welcome!
- GiuliaBuongiorno a lei, Alessandro.Good morning to you, Alessandro.
- AlessandroCercate qualcosa di particolare?Are you looking for something in particular?
- GiuliaSì, guardiamo solo un momento.Yes, we are just looking for a moment.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (buongiorno, signore) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buongiorno, signore, CC BY-SA 4.0.
