buonasera
/ˌbwɔ.naˈse.ra/
The Italian phrase for "hello at night" is buonasera.
buonasera is a common greeting used when meeting someone in the evening or at night. It is typically used from the late afternoon until late at night.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of buona, meaning "good" and sera, meaning "evening".
Which one should you use?
While buongiorno (good day) is used during the morning and afternoon, buonasera is used once the afternoon begins to transition into evening.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
buonasera is a formal greeting. It is more polite and formal than the informal ciao, which is used among close friends, family or people of similar age.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable. The IPA is /ˌbwɔ.naˈse.ra/.
Did you know?
- The word sera comes from the Latin 'sera', meaning 'late', rather than a word for 'evening'.
- Because buonasera is formal, using it with a close friend can sometimes feel accidentally cold or distant, almost as if you are being too polite.
- The transition from buongiorno to buonasera is not fixed and depends on the region, but in many parts of Italy, it happens as early as 4 PM.
Examples in context
- Buonasera a tutti!Good evening, everyone!
- Buonasera a tutti.Good evening to everyone.
- Buonasera, come sta?Good evening, how are you?
- Buonasera, piacere di conoscerla.Good evening, nice to meet you.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia meet at a restaurant in the evening.
- LorenzoBuonasera, Sofia!Good evening, Sofia!
- SofiaBuonasera, Lorenzo. Come stai?Good evening, Lorenzo. How are you?
- LorenzoSto bene, grazie.I am well, thank you.
- SofiaAnch'io sto bene.I am also well.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry buonasera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
