Learn Italian: Buongiorno, signore.

Buongiorno, signore.

Good morning, sir.

Breakdown of Buongiorno, signore.

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Questions & Answers about Buongiorno, signore.

Why does signore have an 'e' at the end here? I thought the word for "Mr." was signor.

When you are talking directly to a man and just calling him "sir", you use the full word signore. You only drop the "e" to make it signor when you add his last name right after it, like in signor Rossi (Mr. Rossi).

Because I am calling him signore, do I have to use the formal Lei register?

Yes! Calling someone signore (sir) or signora (ma'am) means you are showing respect or do not know them well. This is exactly when you must use the formal Lei forms for "you". For example, you would follow this greeting with Come sta? rather than the informal Come stai?.

Is the greeting Buongiorno only used in formal situations?

No, Buongiorno is very versatile. While it sets a polite, respectful tone here with a stranger or elder, you can also use it informally with family and friends to simply mean "Good morning."

At what time of day should I stop saying Buongiorno?

It depends slightly on where you are in Italy, but generally, Buongiorno is used until early afternoon, usually around 1:00 PM or 2:00 PM. After that, you should switch to Buonasera (Good evening).