Learn Italian: Arrivederci, a domani! Sì, a domani! - "Goodbye, see you tomorrow!" "Yes, see you tomorrow!"

Arrivederci is the standard, slightly more formal way to say "goodbye." You use it with people you don't know well, like shopkeepers, teachers, or strangers. Ciao is informal, so it's best saved for friends, family, and peers.

Arrivederci is such a long word. Is there a trick to remembering it?

It helps to know its literal meaning! It was originally built from smaller pieces: a (until) + ri- (re/again) + veder(e) (to see) + ci (each other). So it literally means "until we see each other again."

Why does a domani mean "see you tomorrow" if there is no verb for "see"?

In Italian, you don't use a verb for this kind of farewell. You just use the preposition a (to/until) plus the time. A domani literally means "until tomorrow." You can use this pattern for other times too, like a presto (see you soon) or a dopo (see you later).

Why is there an accent mark on sì?

The accent mark tells you this word means "yes." Without the accent, si is a completely different grammar word (a pronoun often meaning "oneself" or "one"). The accent doesn't change how you pronounce it, but it is very important when writing to avoid confusion!