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Buongiorno, signorina! Buongiorno, dottore!

Buongiorno, signorina! Buongiorno, dottore!
"Good morning, miss!" "Good morning, doctor!"
From Lesson 27:Formal address (dare del Lei)·Italian

Breakdown of Buongiorno, signorina! Buongiorno, dottore!

buongiorno
good morning
il dottore
the doctor (male)
la signorina
young lady, miss

Questions & Answers about Buongiorno, signorina! Buongiorno, dottore!

Why don't we say la signorina or il dottore here?
When you are speaking directly to someone using their title, you drop the definite article (like il or la). If you were talking about them to a third person, you would include it, as in: Il dottore è qui (The doctor is here).
Since they are using titles like signorina and dottore, which form of 'you' would they use with each other?
They would use the formal Lei (formal 'you'). Using polite titles is a strong signal that you are in a formal situation and should use the formal address register rather than the casual tu.
Does dottore always mean this person is a medical doctor?
Not necessarily! In Italy, the title dottore (or dottoressa for a woman) is used as a mark of respect for anyone who has graduated from a university. It is very common in formal business or professional settings, not just in hospitals.
When should I use signorina instead of signora?
Signorina traditionally means 'Miss' (an unmarried woman), while signora means 'Mrs.' or 'Ma'am'. Nowadays, signora is the safest and most polite choice for any adult woman in a formal setting, but you might still hear signorina used for younger women.

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