Learn Italian: Ciao, benvenuto!

Yes! Benvenuto changes its ending to match the person or people you are welcoming. Use benvenuto for one man, benvenuta for one woman, benvenuti for a group including at least one man, and benvenute for a group of women.

If someone says grazie (thank you), can I reply with benvenuto?

No, this is a very common trap! In English, we use 'welcome' both to greet someone and to reply to 'thank you'. In Italian, benvenuto is only used as a greeting when someone arrives. To say 'you're welcome' after someone thanks you, you must use prego.

Is ciao polite enough to use with anyone?

Ciao is informal, so it is best used with friends, family, people your own age, or children. If you are welcoming a stranger in a formal setting, a boss, or someone older, it is better to use a greeting like buongiorno or salve instead of ciao.