Hello and Goodbye
Word
Buongiorno
Meaning
Good morning/Good day
Buona sera
Good evening
Buonanotte
Goodnight
Salve
Ciao
Hello
Hello/Goodbye
Arrivederci
A domani
A presto
Pronto!
Goodbye/See you
See you tomorrow
See you soon
Hello
Use
formal and informal greeting and
leave-taking, used until 4-5pm
formal and informal greeting and
leave taking, used from 4-5pm
until late at night.
formal and informal leavetaking, used late at night
especially upon leaving or going
to bed
formal and informal greeting
formal and informal greeting and
leave-taking
formal and informal leave-taking
formal and informal leave-taking
Formal and informal leave-taking
Used only to answer the
telephone
Meeting people
Word
Meaning
Benvenuto/Benvenuta/Benvenuti Welcome
Come sta?
Come stai?
Come state?
How are you?
How are you?
How are you?
Come va?
(Sto) Bene, grazie. E lei?
(Sto) Bene, grazie. E tu?
Va bene.
How’s it going?
(I’m) Fine, thanks. And you?
(I’m) Fine thanks. And you?
It’s going well
Use
To one male/to one female/to
more than one person
formal, to one person
informal, to one person
formal/informal, to more than
one person
informal
formal
informal
Answer to “Come va?,” can also
mean “It’s okay” or “It’s good.”
Other Politeness Phrases
Word
Per favore/Per piacere/Per
cortesia
Grazie/Mille grazie
Prego
Meaning
Please
Use
same as English
Thank you/Thank you very much
You’re welcome
same as English
Used in response to “Thank
you.” Also used often to be
generally polite. It might be used
Mi dispiace
I’m sorry
Scusi
Excuse me
Scusa(mi)
Excuse me
Permesso
Excuse me
Salute!
To health!
Buon compleanno!
Buon Natale!
Buon viaggio!
Buon appetito!
Happy Birthday!
Merry Christmas!
Have a nice trip!
Enjoy your meal!
to give a stranger permission to
pass on the street, or by a waiter
after someone has ordered.
Used to apologise for annoying
someone or for doing something
wrong. It’s not used to
empathize like it is in English.
formal, used to beg someone’s
pardon or get someone’s
attention
informal, used to beg someone’s
pardon or get someone’s
attention
formal and informal, used to let
someone pass or to ask someone
if you can pass
Said when someone sneezes, or
when toasting drinks