ciao
/ˈt͡ʃa.o/
The Italian phrase for "hi" is ciao.
ciao is a friendly, informal greeting used to say both "hello" and "goodbye" among friends, family and acquaintances of a similar age.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
Which one should you use?
While ciao is used for both "hi" and "bye" in informal settings, other options exist depending on the situation. For a more neutral greeting that works in semi-formal situations, you can use salve. If you want to be formal or polite when saying hello during the day, use Buongiorno.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈtʃa.o/.
When do people say it?
ciao is used for both saying "hello" and "goodbye" among friends, family and acquaintances of similar age.
Did you know?
- The word ciao actually traces its origins back to the word for 'slave'.
- In many parts of the world, ciao is used exclusively as a way to say 'goodbye', whereas in Italy it is equally common for 'hello'.
- While ciao is the most famous greeting, using it with a stranger or a superior can actually be seen as rude or overly familiar.
Examples in context
- Ciao, tu sei Tom?Hi, are you Tom?This sentence demonstrates how to use ciao when asking for someone's identity.Tatoeba #7096281 by Guybrush88, translation #4036990 by Hybrid
- Ciao, come va oggi?Hi, how are you doing today?This sentence shows ciao used in a greeting to ask how someone is doing.Tatoeba #9740460 by Guybrush88, translation #9189170 by DJ_Saidez
- Ciao Mimi! Come stai?Hi, Mimi! How are you doing?This sentence illustrates ciao as a friendly greeting to a person.Tatoeba #423804 by Pharamp, translation #54601 by Zifre
- 83 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Martina meet at a café.
- AlessandroCiao, Martina!Hi, Martina!
- MartinaCiao, Alessandro! Tutto bene?Hi, Alessandro! Everything good?
- AlessandroSì, tutto a posto.Yes, all good.
- MartinaChe bello vederti!It's great to see you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries ciao, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ciao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
