Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ciao | /ˈt͡ʃa.o/ | |
| salve | /ˈsal.ve/ | |
| buongiorno | /ˌbwɔnˈd͡ʒor.no/ /bwonˈd͡ʒor.no/ |
|
| saluti | masculine, plural |
These terms are used to greet others, though they vary in how they are applied. ciao is a common casual greeting used among friends, family and colleagues. salve is a versatile greeting used for both formal and informal situations, though it is often employed in more formal emails. buongiorno is a standard formal way of saying hello that translates to 'good day' and is used specifically during the morning or daytime. saluti is rarely used as a spoken 'hello'. Instead, it is used at the end of a letter or email to mean 'regards' or 'greetings'.
Which one should you use?
While ciao functions as both 'hello' and 'goodbye' in informal settings, buongiorno is a more formal greeting specifically for the morning or daytime. saluti differs from the others as it is typically used for closing correspondence rather than an initial greeting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ciao is informal and should only be used with friends, family or people you know well. salve is a safer, more polite option than ciao when speaking to strangers or in semi-formal situations. For formal contexts, buongiorno (good day) is appropriate. In very formal written communication, one might use Gentile Sig./Sig.ra (Dear Mr./Mrs.) or Egregio Sig./Egregia Sig.ra (Dear Esteemed Mr./Mrs.) to address someone by their surname.
How does it change in a sentence?
saluti is a masculine plural noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of ciao is /ˈtʃa.o/. It has 2 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The common, casual greeting ciao actually has its roots in the word for 'slave'. It stems from the Venetan expression 's-ciao vostro', which meant 'I am your slave' or 'I am at your service'.
- In Italy, a common gesture accompanying a casual ciao is a small wave or a light kiss on both cheeks, though the order of cheeks can vary by region.
- Italian shares a historical greeting pattern with German and Swedish. The use of ciao is similar to the German servus and Swedish tjena, both of which also stem from the idea of being a servant.
Examples in context
- Ciao, tu sei Ana?Hello, are you Ana?This sentence shows how to use ciao when asking if someone is Ana.Tatoeba #7796553 by Guybrush88, translation #7795992 by sharris123
- Ciao, tu sei Jose?Hello, are you Jose?This sentence shows how to use ciao when asking if someone is Jose.Tatoeba #7909230 by Guybrush88, translation #7773695 by sharris123
- Ciao, John! Come va?Hello, John! How are you?This sentence shows how to use ciao to greet John and ask how he is.Tatoeba #564013 by Guybrush88, translation #30307 by CN
- Gentile Sig.ra Bianchi,Dear Mrs. Bianchi
- Ciao Marco,Hi Marco
- 183 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia meet on the street.
- LorenzoCiao, Giulia! Come stai?Hello, Giulia! How are you?
- GiuliaCiao, Lorenzo! Tutto bene, grazie.Hello, Lorenzo! Everything is fine, thanks.
- LorenzoDove vai adesso?Where are you going now?
- GiuliaVado al supermercato.I am going to the supermarket.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries ciao, salve, buongiorno, saluti, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buongiorno, ciao, salve, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
