Until next time
You can open a conversation — buongiorno, buonasera, salve — and close one with ciao or arrivederci. This lesson adds the partings Italians actually trade at the door: the ones that say when you will meet again, and the one that says you never will.
A + a time = see you then
A plus a time word promises a next meeting:
| phrase | you will meet again... |
|---|---|
| a dopo | later today |
| a domani | tomorrow |
| a presto | soon, whenever that is |
| Good night, mom! See you tomorrow! | Buonanotte, mamma! A domani! |
Parting wishes
Buongiorno and buonasera greet; their sisters buona giornata and buona serata say goodbye — literally have a good day / evening. The -ata forms (giornata, serata) see the day as a stretch of time to be enjoyed, not a point on the clock. Shopkeepers send you off with them all day long; the natural reply is grazie — often with the wish returned.
| "Have a nice day, madam!" "Thanks, have a nice day!" | Buona giornata, signora! Grazie, buona giornata! |
The final goodbye
addio is the farewell that expects no next meeting — the goodbye of break-ups, emigrations and opera. Between a presto and addio lies the whole distance between see you soon! and farewell forever, so in daily life it is said only in jest — or very seriously indeed.
