ciao bimbo
/ˈt͡ʃa.o ˈbim.bo/word by word
The English phrase "hi baby" can be translated into Italian as ciao bimbo.
ciao bimbo is an affectionate greeting used when speaking to a young child.
Which one should you use?
The form ciao bimbo is masculine and specifically refers to a boy. If the child is female, you should use ciao bimba instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use ciao bimba if the child is female.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃa.o ˈbim.bo/. The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
For romantic partners, you might say Ciao amore (hi, my love). Other common informal affectionate greetings include Ciao tesoro (hi sweetheart), Ciao dolcezza (hi sweetness) or using piccolino for a little one (male) and piccolina for a little one (female).
Did you know?
- The word ciao actually comes from the word for 'slave'. It originated from the Venetian phrase s-ciao vostro, which meant 'I am your slave' or 'your humble servant'.
- While bimbo means 'baby' or 'young child' in Italian, the English word 'bimbo' refers to a stereotypical attractive but unintelligent person.
- While ciao bimbo is used for a child, using ciao with an adult you do not know well can be seen as overly familiar or even rude.
Example conversation
Sofia greets a small boy who is with Francesco.
- SofiaCiao bimbo! Come ti chiami?Hi baby! What is your name?
- FrancescoLui si chiama Luca.His name is Luca.
- SofiaChe bello! Piacere di conoscerti, Luca.How lovely! Nice to meet you, Luca.
- FrancescoGrazie, Sofia.Thank you, Sofia.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ciao, bimbo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bimbo, ciao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
