How to Say Hello in Italian: 10 Useful Greetings

If you're travelling to Italy, meeting Italian speakers, or starting to learn the language, one of the first things you'll want to know is hello in Italian. And while ciao is probably the first word that comes to mind, it's not the only way to greet someone.

Italian has different greetings depending on the situation, the time of day, and your relationship with the person you're speaking to. Knowing which expression to use can help you sound more natural and avoid being either too informal or unnecessarily formal.

In this guide, you'll learn 10 useful ways to say hello in Italian, including when to use each expression and what to say in different everyday situations.

1. Ciao – Hi / Hello

Ciao (chow)

If you're looking for the most common way to say hello in Italian, you'll almost certainly come across ciao first.

Ciao means both "hi" and "bye". It's informal and is normally used with friends, family, children, classmates, or people you know well.

For example:

Ciao, Marco! – Hi, Marco!
Ciao, come stai? – Hi, how are you?

One important thing to remember is that ciao isn't necessarily appropriate in every situation. If you're meeting someone for the first time or speaking to someone in a formal setting, buongiorno or buonasera may be more suitable.

Interestingly, ciao has a long history. According to Treccani, it originated from the Venetian expression s-ciao, related to the older phrase schiavo vostro, and eventually became the familiar greeting used throughout Italy and beyond.

2. Buongiorno – Good morning / Good day

Buongiorno (bwon-JOR-no)

Buongiorno literally means "good day", but in English it's usually translated as "good morning" or simply "hello."

It's one of the most useful Italian greetings because it can be used when speaking to strangers, colleagues, shop assistants, hotel staff, or other people you don't know well.

For example:

Buongiorno, signora. – Good morning, ma'am.
Buongiorno, vorrei un caffè. – Hello, I'd like a coffee.

Unlike ciao, buongiorno is appropriate in more formal situations. Treccani describes it as a formal greeting that can be used both when starting and ending an interaction.

So, if you're walking into a café in Italy and aren't sure what to say, buongiorno is an excellent choice.

3. Buonasera – Good evening

Buonasera (bwoh-na-SEH-ra)

Buonasera means "good evening" and is generally used during the later part of the day.

It's another polite and versatile greeting that works in both formal and neutral situations.

For example:

Buonasera! – Good evening!
Buonasera, avete un tavolo per due? – Good evening, do you have a table for two?

But when exactly should you switch from buongiorno to buonasera?

There isn't one universal time. Italian usage varies according to personal and regional habits, so you don't need to worry about getting the exact hour right.

4. Salve – Hello

Salve (SAL-veh)

Salve is another Italian word for "hello."

It can be useful when you want to greet someone without using the very informal ciao. You may hear it in shops, restaurants, workplaces, and other everyday situations.

For example:

Salve, posso aiutarla? – Hello, can I help you?

There is some variation in how Italians perceive and use salve. Treccani notes that it has become increasingly common when addressing strangers, particularly among younger speakers, while also pointing out that it isn't the best choice for every formal context.

For a learner, the main thing to remember is simple: salve is a useful neutral-ish greeting, but buongiorno and buonasera are safer choices when you want to be clearly polite.

5. Buondì – Hello / Good day

Buondì (bwon-DEE)

Buondì is a shorter, more colloquial form related to buongiorno.

It can be translated as "good day" or simply "hello." You'll encounter it less often than buongiorno, but it's useful to recognise.

Because it has a more conversational feel, you shouldn't necessarily choose it when you're trying to sound particularly formal or polite.

Think of it as a useful extra expression rather than the first greeting you need to memorise.

6. Ehi! – Hey!

Ehi! (ay)

Ehi! is the Italian equivalent of "Hey!"

It's informal and is generally used with people you know.

For example:

Ehi, Luca! Come va?
Hey, Luca! How's it going?

You can use it as a greeting, but it can also be used to get someone's attention. It's therefore more casual than buongiorno or buonasera.

7. Come stai? – How are you?

Come stai? (KOH-meh STAI)

Technically, come stai? doesn't mean "hello." It means "how are you?" However, it's extremely useful when greeting someone in Italian because it's often combined with ciao.

For example:

Ciao! Come stai?
Hi! How are you?

A natural response could be:

Bene, grazie! E tu?
Good, thanks! And you?

Notice the word stai. This is the informal form. When speaking formally, you'd generally say come sta?

Learning these little combinations is much more useful than memorising individual words because you'll be able to use them in real conversations.

8. Come va? – How's it going?

Come va? (KOH-meh vah)

Another common conversational greeting is come va?, meaning "how's it going?"

It's informal and works particularly well with friends, classmates, or people you already know.

For example:

Ciao! Come va?
Hi! How's it going?

You can answer:

Bene! – Good!
Molto bene! – Very well!
Così così. – So-so.

Using questions like come stai? and come va? after ciao will help your Italian conversations sound more natural and less like a memorised vocabulary exercise.

9. Piacere – Nice to meet you

Piacere (pya-CHEH-reh)

When you're meeting someone for the first time, piacere is a particularly useful expression.

It means "nice to meet you" or "pleased to meet you."

For example:

Ciao, sono Anna.
Hi, I'm Anna.

Piacere! Sono Marco.
Nice to meet you! I'm Marco.

You can also hear piacere di conoscerti, meaning "nice to meet you," although simply saying piacere is very common.

10. Pronto? – Hello? on the phone

Pronto? (PRON-toh)

Here's one greeting you shouldn't use when meeting someone face-to-face.

When answering the phone, Italians commonly say pronto?

It literally means "ready?", but on the phone it functions much like "hello?"

For example:

Pronto? Chi parla?
Hello? Who is speaking?

It's a useful expression to know because greetings can change depending on the type of interaction. Treccani notes that Italian telephone conversations traditionally use pronto? during the initial stages of the call.

Formal vs. Informal Greetings in Italian

One of the most important things to understand about hello in Italian is that different greetings communicate different levels of familiarity.

Italian greetings depend on several factors, including the time of day, the relationship between speakers, and whether you're starting or ending a conversation. Check out Best Movies to Learn Italian Without Feeling Like Studying to see how Italians interact with each other.

What Is the Best Way to Say Hello in Italian?

If you're just starting to learn Italian, you don't need to memorise all ten expressions immediately.

Start with these four:

Ciao – for friends and informal situations.

Buongiorno – a polite greeting during the day.

Buonasera – a polite greeting later in the day.

Salve – a useful neutral greeting.

Then add come stai?, come va?, and piacere as you become more comfortable.

And remember: buonanotte means "good night" and is normally used when saying goodbye or going to bed, rather than as a general evening greeting. Treccani specifically distinguishes it from buongiorno and buonasera as a farewell used later at night.

Learn More Than Just Hello in Italian

Knowing a few Italian greetings is a great first step, but the real progress starts when you use them in conversation.

Try creating short dialogues with the expressions you've learned:

Ciao! Come stai?
Bene, grazie! E tu?
Molto bene!

Or practise a more formal situation:

Buongiorno.
Buongiorno, come sta?
Bene, grazie.

Speaking regularly helps you learn not only individual words but also when and how native speakers actually use them.

If you'd like personalised practice, an online Italian tutor can help you build confidence, improve pronunciation, and start using Italian in real conversations. You can browse Italian tutors and find a teacher who matches your level and learning goals.

Final Thoughts

Learning hello in Italian is a small but useful first step towards speaking the language with confidence. While ciao may be the Italian greeting you know already, expressions such as buongiorno, buonasera, salve, piacere, and come stai? will help you handle a much wider range of everyday situations.

The key is not simply to memorise a list of greetings. Pay attention to who you're speaking to, the situation, and the time of day. With regular listening and speaking practice, choosing the right greeting will soon become automatic.

And once you've mastered ciao, there's a whole Italian conversation waiting to begin.