How to Say Hi in Italian

How to Say Hi in Italian

The simplest, most useful way to say hi in Italian is Ciao (pronounced CHOW). It’s the greeting you’ll hear all over Italy between friends, family members and peers — and it conveniently doubles as “bye.” But Italian greetings follow a real formal vs. informal divide, and using Ciao with the wrong person can come across as too casual. This guide covers the casual hi, the polite alternatives, pronunciation, and how Italians actually greet each other.

The Quick Answer: Ciao

Ciao is your default hi among people you know or who are roughly your age.

• Pronunciation: /CHOW/ — one syllable, rhyming with “now.” The “ci” is a soft “ch” as in “church.”
• Use it with: friends, family, classmates, children, and peers.
• Also means: “bye” — so you can use it coming and going.

Examples:

• Ciao, Marco! — Hi, Marco!
• Ciao a tutti! — Hi everyone!
• Ciao, come va? — Hi, how’s it going?

One key rule: avoid Ciao with strangers in shops, restaurants, offices, or with older people you don’t know. It can sound overly familiar — almost like calling a stranger “buddy.”

The Polite Hi: Salve

When you’re not sure whether you should be casual or formal, reach for Salve.

• Pronunciation: /SAL-veh/ — two syllables.
• Use it with: strangers, shop staff, or anyone you want to greet politely without sounding stiff.

Salve comes from the Latin salve (“be well”) and works at any time of day. It’s the perfect middle-ground hi: respectful but warm. Say Salve! when you walk into a small shop and you’ll sound like a thoughtful local rather than a tourist.

Time-Based Hellos

Italians very often greet with a time-of-day phrase instead of a generic “hi.” These are polite by default and always appropriate.

Italian	Pronunciation	Meaning	When to use
Ciao	CHOW	Hi / Bye	Casual, friends and peers
Salve	SAL-veh	Hi (polite, neutral)	Any time, semi-formal
Buongiorno	bwon-JOR-no	Good morning / day	Until ~1–2 PM, formal
Buon pomeriggio	bwon po-meh-REE-jo	Good afternoon	~2–6 PM, formal
Buonasera	bwon-ah-SEH-rah	Good evening	After ~6 PM, formal
Ehilà / Ehi	ay-LAH / EH-ee	Hey	Very casual, among friends
Pronto	PRON-toh	Hello (phone only)	Answering the phone

Note that Pronto (literally “ready”) is only used to answer the phone — never as an in-person hi.

Formal vs. Informal: The Tu / Lei Rule

Italian splits “you” into two registers, and your greeting should match:

• Tu — informal “you,” used with friends, family, children and peers. Pair it with Ciao and Come stai? (How are you?).
• Lei — formal “you,” used with strangers, elders and professionals. Pair it with Salve / Buongiorno and Come sta? (How are you?).

If you’re ever unsure, start formal. Italians will happily invite you to switch with “Diamoci del tu” (“Let’s use tu”).

Pronunciation Tips

Italian is highly phonetic, so once you learn a few rules, every greeting is easy:

• “ci” in Ciao = soft “ch” (church), never a hard “k.”
• “gi” and “gio” in Buongiorno = soft “j” sound: “JOR.”
• Final vowels are always pronounced clearly — never swallowed.
• Double consonants (as in Buonasera’s smooth flow, or Ehilà) are held slightly longer.
• Stress usually lands on the second-to-last syllable: bwon-JOR-no, po-meh-REE-jo.

Cultural Notes & Regional Variations

Italians often pair a spoken hi with body language: a handshake in formal settings, or two light cheek kisses (starting on the right) among friends and family.

Regionally, you’ll hear local flavor:

• Rome: Bella! or Bella zì! as a friendly “hey” between friends.
• Naples: Uè! — a warm, very informal shout-out.
• Northern Italy (Venice): the home of Ciao itself.
• Sicily: Salutamu in dialect, roughly “we greet you.”

To go beyond hi, follow up with Come stai? (KO-meh STAI, “How are you?” — informal) or Come sta? (formal). The golden rule: when in doubt, say Salve, and you’ll never offend anyone.