Ha detto addio prima di partire.

Ha detto is the passato prossimo, one of the most common Italian past tenses.

• ha = has
• detto = past participle of dire (to say)

So literally, ha detto is has said, but in natural English it is often just said.

In this sentence, it means:

• he said
• she said
• or, depending on context, even it said, though that is less likely here

Italian uses passato prossimo very often for completed past actions, especially in spoken language.

Italian often omits the subject pronoun when it is already clear from the verb or the context.

So Ha detto addio prima di partire literally has no written subject, but Italian speakers understand it as something like:

• He said goodbye before leaving
• She said goodbye before leaving

The verb form ha detto is used for:

• lui ha detto = he said
• lei ha detto = she said
• Lei ha detto = you said (formal)

So without context, the sentence is a little open-ended about who did it.

Addio does mean goodbye, but it often sounds more final than everyday English bye or goodbye.

It can suggest:

• a serious farewell
• a permanent separation
• an emotional goodbye

In everyday situations, Italians often use:

• ciao
• arrivederci

So dire addio can feel stronger than just casually saying bye. Depending on context, it may sound like:

• to say goodbye
• to bid farewell

This is because dire addio is a common fixed expression in Italian meaning to say goodbye or to bid farewell.

You can also say:

• dire ciao = to say hi / bye
• dire arrivederci = to say goodbye

But dire addio has its own established meaning and usually sounds more solemn or final.

So:

• Ha detto addio = He/She said goodbye
• not necessarily just a casual bye

Literally, it means:

• prima = before
• di = of / to, depending on structure
• partire = to leave / to depart

Together, prima di partire means before leaving or before departing.

A very literal breakdown would be:

• before to leave

But in correct English, we naturally say:

• before leaving
• before he/she left, depending on context

In Italian, when prima is followed by an infinitive verb, you normally use di:

• prima di partire = before leaving
• prima di mangiare = before eating
• prima di uscire = before going out

So the pattern is:

prima di + infinitive

But if a full clause follows, Italian usually uses prima che + subjunctive instead:

• prima che partisse = before he/she left

So in your sentence, di is there because partire is an infinitive.

Partire specifically means to leave or to depart, often with the idea of starting a journey or going away from a place.

By contrast:

• andare = to go
• partire = to leave / depart

So:

• prima di partire = before leaving / before departing
• prima di andare = before going

In many contexts, English might use leave, and Italian naturally prefers partire if the idea is departure.

Yes. Partire can often be translated as either:

• to leave
• to depart

Which English word sounds best depends on context.

For example:

• Il treno parte alle otto. = The train leaves at eight. / The train departs at eight.
• È partito ieri. = He left yesterday.

In your sentence, before leaving is the most natural translation.

Yes, it could, depending on context.

Partire can suggest:

• leaving a place
• setting off on a trip
• departing

So possible translations include:

• He/She said goodbye before leaving
• He/She said goodbye before departing
• He/She said goodbye before setting off

Usually, before leaving is the most neutral and natural choice in English.

Yes, it is a completely normal and complete sentence.

It has:

• a verb: ha detto
• an object/expression: addio
• a time phrase: prima di partire

Even though the subject is not stated, that is very common in Italian and does not make the sentence incomplete.

Yes. That is also correct.

Both versions are natural:

• Ha detto addio prima di partire.
• Prima di partire, ha detto addio.

The meaning stays basically the same. The difference is mainly emphasis:

• Ha detto addio prima di partire focuses first on the action of saying goodbye.
• Prima di partire, ha detto addio emphasizes the time frame first: before leaving.

Yes.

• dire addio = to say goodbye
• dire addio a qualcuno / a qualcosa = to say goodbye to someone / something

Examples:

• Ha detto addio. = He/She said goodbye.
• Ha detto addio agli amici. = He/She said goodbye to his/her friends.
• Ha detto addio alla città. = He/She said goodbye to the city.

So your sentence leaves unstated who or what the goodbye was directed to.

Usually, no. On its own, ha detto is normally said or has said, not had said.

Had said would usually require a different tense in Italian, often something like:

• aveva detto

So:

• ha detto = said / has said
• aveva detto = had said

In your sentence, the natural reading is simply:

• He/She said goodbye before leaving