Buona giornata
The English phrase "have a great day" is translated into Italian as Buona giornata.
Buona giornata is a polite greeting used when parting from someone to wish them well for the rest of the day.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of buona (good) and giornata (the duration of a day).
Which one should you use?
While Buongiorno is used as a greeting when arriving, Buona giornata is used as a parting wish when leaving.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the feminine noun giornata (referring to the span of time) rather than the masculine giorno (referring to the unit of time).
Did you know?
- The noun giornata actually shares a common ancestor with the English word 'journey'. Both stem from the idea of a period of travel or a day spent traveling.
- In very formal settings, an Italian might respond to Buona giornata with Altrettanto, which literally means 'equally'.
- In Italian, you might wish someone a buona serata instead of buona giornata if you are parting after 5:00 PM. This changes the wish from a 'good day' to a 'good evening'.
Examples in context
- Grazie, anche a te, buona giornata.Thanks, you too, have a great day.
- Ciao a tutti, buona giornata!Bye everyone, have a great day!
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are leaving a coffee shop.
- LorenzoCiao Martina, ci vediamo domani.Bye Martina, see you tomorrow.
- MartinaVa bene, a domani!Okay, see you tomorrow!
- LorenzoBuona giornata!Have a great day!
- MartinaGrazie, buona giornata anche a te!Thanks, have a great day too!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries giornata, CC BY-SA 4.0.
