How to Say "Hi, Guys" in Italian

ciao ragazzi

/ˈt͡ʃa.o raˈɡat.t͡si/word by word

The English phrase 'hi, guys' is translated into Italian as ciao ragazzi.

ciao ragazzi is an informal way to say 'hi, guys' when addressing a group of people.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of ciao (hi/bye) and ragazzi (boys/guys/kids).

While ragazzi literally means 'boys', in this context it is used as a gender-neutral term for a mixed-gender group, similar to 'guys' in English.

This greeting is informal and should be used with friends, peers or people you know well.

If the group consists exclusively of females, you should use the feminine form ciao ragazze instead of ciao ragazzi.

The phrase has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.

The word ciao has a surprisingly humble origin, having evolved from the Venetian expression s-ciao vostro, which literally meant 'I am your slave' or 'your humble servant'.
The word ciao has become one of the most recognized words globally, used in many languages that have no linguistic connection to Italian.
Using ciao ragazzi with a boss or a teacher in Italy could be seen as a serious breach of etiquette, whereas 'hi guys' is more acceptable in modern English workplaces.

Lorenzo arrives at a cafe where Chiara and her friends are sitting.

Lorenzo

Ciao ragazzi, scusate il ritardo!
Hi guys, sorry I'm late!
Chiara

Non preoccuparti, Lorenzo, siamo appena arrivati.
Don't worry, Lorenzo, we just arrived.
Lorenzo

Volete ordinare qualcosa da bere?
Do you want to order something to drink?
Chiara

Sì, grazie, un caffè per me.
Yes, thanks, a coffee for me.

Sources

IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ciao, ragazzi) and can differ in connected speech.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries ciao, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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