Greetings and farewells (ciao, arrivederci)

Saying Hello — and Choosing Your Register

Italian greetings come in two registers, and picking the right one matters as much as the words themselves. With friends, family, and children you use tu-register greetings; with strangers, officials, and anyone you address as Lei, stay formal.

Ciao — hello AND goodbye

Ciao works both when you arrive and when you leave — but only informally.

The formal set

Buongiorno (morning and early afternoon) and buonasera (from late afternoon on) are the safe formal greetings. Buonanotte is different: it is only a parting word, said when someone is heading to bed.

Leaving politely

Arrivederci ("until we see each other again") is the standard goodbye that works with everyone.

Benvenuto — welcome

Benvenuto agrees like an adjective with the person you welcome: benvenuto to a man, benvenuta to a woman, benvenuti to a group.

Scusa vs scusi

You already know formal scusi. The informal counterpart is scusa — same apology, tu-register.

Your Greeting Toolkit