buongiorno
/ˌbwɔnˈd͡ʒor.no/
The Italian phrase for "good morning to a man" is buongiorno.
buongiorno is used to say "good morning" or "good day". Although it literally translates to "good day", it is the standard greeting used from the morning until the early afternoon.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of buon (good) and giorno (day).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
buongiorno is appropriate for both formal and informal situations when greeting a man. As a neutral and polite alternative, you may also use Salve as a formal greeting in the morning.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˌbwɔnˈdʒor.no/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In very formal settings, buongiorno is often paired with a title, such as buongiorno, dottore, even if the man is not a medical doctor.
- The word giorno in buongiorno shares a common ancestor with the English word 'journey'. Both stem from the Latin 'diurnus', which refers to a period of light or a single day.
- While buongiorno is for arriving, Italians often use buona giornata when leaving to wish someone a 'good day' ahead.
Examples in context
- Buongiorno, signore.Good morning, sir.
- Buongiorno, caro amico.Good morning, dear friend.
- Buongiorno, dottore.Good morning, doctor.
Example conversation
Giulia meets her neighbor Alessandro in the hallway in the morning.
- GiuliaBuongiorno, Alessandro!Good morning, Alessandro!
- AlessandroBuongiorno a te, Giulia.Good morning to you, Giulia.
- GiuliaCome stai oggi?How are you today?
- AlessandroBene, grazie.Well, thanks.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry buongiorno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buongiorno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
