Buongiorno
/ˌbwɔnˈd͡ʒor.no/
The English phrase "hi formally" is translated into Italian as Buongiorno.
Buongiorno is the most common and standard way to say good morning in Italian. For the late afternoon and evening hours, you should use Buonasera to say good evening. If you need a versatile, neutral greeting that can be used throughout the day in both formal and informal settings, you can use Salve.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a compound of buon (good) and giorno (day).
Which one should you use?
While Buongiorno is formal and polite, the informal equivalent used with friends and family is Ciao.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a greeting, Buongiorno is typically written as one word, though it is etymologically two words.
When do people say it?
The standard response to Buongiorno is to repeat the same phrase back to the speaker. In formal situations, a firm handshake is the customary greeting among both men and women.
Did you know?
- The word giorno in Buongiorno shares a common linguistic ancestor with the English word 'journey', both originating from the Latin word for 'day'.
- In some regions of Italy, people use Buongiorno well into the afternoon, whereas others switch to Buonasera as early as 1 PM.
- The formal greeting Buongiorno is often paired with a title, such as Buongiorno, Professore or Buongiorno, Dottore, to show respect.
Examples in context
- Buongiorno, come sta?Good morning, how are you?
- Buongiorno a tutti.Good morning to everyone.
- Buongiorno, signora Rossi.Good morning, Mrs. Rossi.
Example conversation
Chiara arrives at the office to meet Alessandro.
- ChiaraBuongiorno, Alessandro.Good morning, Alessandro.
- AlessandroBuongiorno, Chiara. Come sta?Good morning, Chiara. How are you?
- ChiaraBene, grazie. E Lei?Well, thank you. And you?
- AlessandroSto molto bene, grazie.I am doing very well, thank you.
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry buongiorno.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buongiorno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
