Ciao!
friendly, everyday
To a friend the natural Italian hello is Ciao! You can make it livelier with Ehi, ciao!, or add bello for a male friend and bella for a female one. It is also called Ciao bello!
Meaning: friendly greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| Ciao! | friendly, everyday |
| Ehi, ciao! | friendly, casual |
| Ciao bello! | friendly, to a man |
Ciao fits friends of any age. A common follow up is Come va?, "how is it going?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
With a friend's parents or someone older use Buongiorno or Salve instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
Ciao bello and Ciao bella are warm greetings between friends and are not always flirty. The ending changes with the person: -o for a man, -a for a woman.
Did you know?
- Italians often kiss on both cheeks when they say Ciao to a friend, but not always between two men.
Examples in context
- Ciao, come va?Hi, how is it going?
- Ehi, ciao! Che bello vederti!Hey, hi! So nice to see you!
- Ciao bella, tutto bene?Hi there, all good?
Example conversation
Marta meets her old friend Stefano at a café in Rome.
- MartaCiao Stefano!Hi Stefano!
- StefanoEhi, ciao Marta! Come stai?Hey, hi Marta! How are you?
- MartaBene, e tu?Fine, and you?
