ciao buonasera
/ˈt͡ʃa.o ˌbwɔ.naˈse.ra/word by word
In Italian, hello good evening is said as ciao buonasera.
The phrase is a greeting used to say hello to someone in the evening.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase combines ciao (hello/bye) and buonasera (good evening).
Which one should you use?
Using only buonasera without ciao is more formal and polite than saying ciao buonasera. The addition of ciao makes the entire greeting informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Italy, particularly Naples, the phrase Bona sera is a dialectal variation used in informal settings.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase has 6 syllables. The stress is on the 1st syllable. It is pronounced /ˈtʃa.o ˌbwɔ.naˈse.ra/.
Did you know?
- The word ciao has a surprisingly humble origin, as it evolved from the Venetian word for 'slave'. It originally comes from the expression 'your humble servant', signaling that the speaker was at the listener's service.
- In Italy, the transition from using buongiorno to buonasera varies by region and can happen as early as 1 PM or 2 PM, often coinciding with the traditional midday break.
Examples in context
- Buonasera, come posso aiutarla?Good evening, how can I help you?
- Buona sera, è un piacere incontrarla.Good evening, it's a pleasure to meet you.
Example conversation
Chiara meets Francesco at a restaurant in the evening.
- ChiaraCiao buonasera, Francesco!Hello good evening, Francesco!
- FrancescoCiao Chiara, che piacere vederti!Hi Chiara, what a pleasure to see you!
- ChiaraAnche per me, come stai?Me too, how are you?
- FrancescoSto bene, grazie mille.I am doing well, thank you very much.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ciao, buonasera) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buonasera, ciao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
