Kilo Lingo
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CEFR A1

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Test yourself (23 questions)

Italian Greetings: Ciao, Buongiorno, Arrivederci and Survival Phrases

By Michael McGettrickUpdated 3 October 2026

You can hold a first Italian conversation before you have learnt a single verb ending. Greetings are fixed phrases in every language: nobody builds good morning from parts, and you need not build the Italian either. Learn the set below as whole things to say.

The whole set on one screen

Say thisIt meansUse it
hi / byefriends, family
helloin between, safe
good morningpolite, morning
good eveningpolite, later in day
good nightbedtime, late goodbye
goodbyepolite, anyone
A see you laterfriends, colleagues
A see you soonfriends, colleagues
thank youalways
you' welcomeafter
Per pleasealways
sorry / excuse mefriends (: polite)
I 't understandwhen lost

Ciao: hello and goodbye

With an official, a doctor, an older stranger or a shop assistant you do not know, switch to the polite set below. Using at the wrong moment is not rude exactly, but it is the Italian equivalent of saying hiya to a bank manager.

Polite hellos, and when each fits

is the polite daytime hello. It covers the morning and, for many Italians, the early afternoon as well. takes over once the day turns towards evening: after lunch for some speakers, from about four or five o'clock for others, and certainly by dusk. Nobody will check your watch.

is the useful middle gear. It is less formal than , more careful than , and it works at any hour with almost anyone. When you are unsure, is a safe pick.

is the odd one out. It is not a hello at all. You say it when someone is going to bed, or you are, or when you part late at night.

Goodbye: casual or polite

is the standard goodbye, literally until we see each other again. It is fine with everyone. A very formal version, ArrivederLa, exists for someone you address as , written with a capital L, but you will rarely need it.

For a friendlier farewell, add a time. A means see you later (the same day) and A means see you soon. Both pair naturally with .

Grazie, Prego and Per favore

is thank you. is the reply, you're welcome. It is also what a shop assistant says to mean can I help?, and what someone says holding a door to mean after you.

and both cover a real apology and a polite excuse me before you squeeze past someone. Which one you pick depends on the next section. For asking to get past or to come in, is the polite word.

Tu or Lei: the one real choice

Italian has two words for you to one person, and your greeting questions change with them.

SituationUseAsk how they areAsk their name
Friend, child, familyCome ?Come ?
Stranger, officialCome ?Come ?

is usually written with a capital L when it means you, to tell it apart from (she), though many people now write it in lower case. It takes the same verb form as she, which is why and are the polite versions.

The apology follows the same split: for a friend, for a stranger.

Names and "how are you?"

... means my name is ..., literally I call myself. Put your name after it: Anna. Nobody has to choose between tu and to say their own name.

After the name comes !, nice to meet you. It literally means pleasure, and both people say it.

The reply to Come ? or Come ? is the same for everyone: , . It is all a beginner needs, and it is what Italians say back automatically.

When you are lost

means I don't understand. It is the most useful sentence in a beginner's pocket, because it tells the other person to slow down instead of leaving them guessing.

so means I don't know. Together with and No, that completes the survival kit. Note the accent on : without it, is a different word.

Saying them aloud

Italian spelling is regular, so these are easier to say than they look. Two spellings do most of the work: is ch as in chin, and is k as in kit.

PhraseSay it likeWatch
CHOW is ch
GRAH-tsyehz is ts here
PREH-gohard g, as in go
Come ?KOH-meh tee KYAH-mee is k
pyah-CHEH-reh is cheh

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
for pleasePer is the reply to
to an official is for people you know
as a hello is only for parting
Come ? to a strangerCome ?strangers get
for yesthe accent separates yes from

What to do next

  1. Say and aloud five times each.
  2. Practise ... with your own name, then add !.
  3. Decide for each person you know: or ?

Practise: test yourself

Matching

0/5

Match each Italian greeting to its meaning. Tap the Italian that fits.

Matching

0/6

Match each phrase to its meaning. These are the goodbyes and the courtesies.

Pick the right one

0/6

Pick the right phrase for each situation. Read the meaning, then tap the Italian.

  1. You want to say 'thank you'.

  2. Someone says 'Grazie'. What do you reply to mean 'you're welcome'?

  3. You are asking for something and want to say 'please'.

  4. You are going to bed. What do you say to the family?

  5. You bump into a friend and want to say sorry.

  6. You bump into a stranger and want to say sorry, politely.

Pick the right one

0/6

Names and small talk. Read the meaning, then tap the Italian.

  1. You want to tell someone your name.

  2. You want to ask a friend their name.

  3. You want to ask a stranger their name, politely.

  4. You want to ask a friend 'How are you?'

  5. A friend asks how you are and you are fine. What do you say?

  6. You do not understand what someone is saying. What do you say?

Italian · Free printables

Practice worksheets and infographics

Practice worksheets with answer keys built in, plus infographic and listicle formats. Open any one to view, print or save.

Infographics

  1. Key points infographic
  2. The whole set on one screen
  3. Tu or Lei: the one real choice
  4. Saying them aloud
  5. Mistakes English speakers make

Other formats

  1. Listicle

Frequently asked questions

How do you say hello in Italian?
Ciao is the casual hello, for friends, family and people your own age. Buongiorno is the polite one for the morning and early afternoon, and Buonasera takes over later in the day. Salve sits in the middle: less formal than Buongiorno, more careful than Ciao. When you walk into a small shop or a bar, say one of them. Silence is noticed.
Does ciao mean hello or goodbye?
Both. Ciao is said when you meet and again when you part, which is unusual enough that learners often assume they have misheard. It is informal in either direction. With a stranger, an official or an older person, use Buongiorno on the way in and Arrivederci on the way out.
What is the difference between tu and Lei?
Both mean 'you' to one person. Tu is for friends, family, children and most people your own age in casual settings. Lei, with a capital L, is the polite form for strangers, officials, shop staff and anyone older you do not know. Lei takes the verb form of 'she', which is why Come sta? is polite and Come stai? is not. When unsure, use Lei.
Does prego mean please or you're welcome?
You're welcome, not please. This catches almost every English speaker. Prego is the reply to Grazie, and it also means 'go ahead' or 'after you', and 'can I help you?' from a shop assistant. Please is Per favore. Mixing them up is one of the commonest mistakes beginners make.
What is the difference between arrivederci and ciao?
Arrivederci is the standard goodbye, literally 'until we see each other again', fine with anyone. Ciao is the relaxed goodbye for people you know. For a very formal farewell to someone you call Lei, there is ArrivederLa, with a capital L, but Arrivederci is nearly always enough. A dopo and A presto are friendly 'see you later' and 'see you soon'.