Knowing Italian greetings can make a good impression, whether you're speaking Italian for business or while traveling. The Italian culture places importance on introductions and salutations as it is often considered a foundational way of showing respect. There are different expressions you can use depending on if the situation is formal (business meeting) or informal (meeting someone at a restaurant). Offer polite greetings to friends and associates or as a way to break the ice when meeting new people.
Practice using these common Italian greetings:
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Buongiorno! (bwohn-johr-noh) (Hello! and Good morning!)
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Arrivederci! (ahr-ree-veh-dehr-chee) (Goodbye!) (Formal)
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Ciao! (chou) (Hello! and Good-bye!) (Informal)
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Salve! (sahl-veh) (Hello! and Good-bye!) (Neutral)
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Buonasera! (bwoh-nah-seh-rah) (Good afternoon! Good evening!) (Formal)
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Buonanotte! (bwoh-nah-noht-teh) (Good night!) (Informal)
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Come si chiama? (koh-meh see kyah-mah) (What is your name?) (Formal)
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Come ti chiami? (koh-meh tee kyah-mee) (What is your name?) (Informal)
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Mi chiamo…(mee kyah-moh) (My name is. . .)
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Come sta? (koh-meh stah) (How are you?) (Formal)
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Come stai? (koh-meh stahy) (How are you?) (Informal)
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Bene, grazie. (beh-neh grah-tsee-eh) (Fine, thank you.)
