Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ciao | /ˈt͡ʃa.o/ | |
| salve | /ˈsal.ve/ | |
| buongiorno | /ˌbwɔnˈd͡ʒor.no/ /bwonˈd͡ʒor.no/ |
|
| saluti | masculine, plural |
There are several ways to greet someone in Italian depending on the level of familiarity and the time of day. While ciao is highly versatile and can be used for both 'hello' and 'goodbye', other options like buongiorno or salve are used for specific social contexts.
Which one should you use?
The choice of greeting depends on the social setting. Ciao is used for both 'hello' and 'goodbye' in informal settings. Salve serves as a neutral greeting that is more formal than ciao but less formal than buongiorno. Buongiorno is a formal greeting used primarily during the morning or daytime hours, meaning 'good morning' or 'good day'. Finally, saluti is a masculine plural form that is rarely used as a spoken 'hello'. It is more commonly found in written correspondence to mean 'regards'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Saluti is a masculine plural noun.
How do you pronounce it?
Ciao is pronounced /ˈtʃa.o/. It has 2 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
Buongiorno is a common greeting used throughout Italy from the morning until the early evening. In very informal settings among friends or peers, the word ehi can also be used to say 'hey'.
Did you know?
- The popular, informal greeting ciao actually originates from the word for 'slave'. It stems from the Venetian expression s-ciao vostro, which meant 'I am your slave' or 'I am at your service'.
- In Italian culture, using ciao with a stranger or a superior can sometimes be seen as overly bold or disrespectful.
Examples in context
- Ciao, tu sei Ana?Hello, are you Ana?This sentence shows how to use ciao to ask someone's name.Tatoeba #7796553 by Guybrush88, translation #7795992 by sharris123
- Ciao, tu sei Jose?Hello, are you 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 in a friendly greeting.Tatoeba #564013 by Guybrush88, translation #30307 by CN
- Buongiorno Anna, come stai?Good morning Anna, how are you?
- Salve, mi chiamo Luca. Piacere di conoscerla.Hello, my name is Luca. Nice to meet you.
- Ciao Marco, come va?Hi Marco, how are you?
- Ehi ragazzi, avete sentito la notizia?Hey guys, have you heard the news?
- 183 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina meet in a small cafe.
- MatteoCiao, Martina!Hello, Martina!
- MartinaCiao, Matteo! Come stai?Hello, Matteo! How are you?
- MatteoBene, grazie. E tu?Fine, thanks. And you?
- MartinaTutto bene, grazie.Everything is fine, thanks.
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.
