When you’re speaking with an Italian, you’ve got to be ready for the eventual parting of ways. Saying goodbye in Italian isn’t just one flavour – it’s like a whole gelato shop of options! There are as many ways to say ‘goodbye’ as there are to say hello in Italian. It might feel like a maze at first, but tranquillo, I’ve got your back. Kick those farewell worries to the curb, because you’re about to master how to correctly bid an Italian ‘goodbye’.
1. How to say ‘Bye!’ in informal Italian – Ciao!
How to pronounce it: chaow
Meaning: Hi, Bye
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
Ciao is a versatile Italian greeting, you can say it when you meet your friends and when you are parting ways after hanging out. It’s easy to remember but it may get a tad repetitive (that is why there are 15 other options for saying ‘goodbye’ in this section!). As an informal word, you shouldn’t really say ‘ciao’ with people you don’t know well.
When you are leaving a group of people, mix things up by saying ‘Ciao a tutti!’ (Bye, everyone!) or ‘Ciao ragazzi! (Bye guys/gals!)
2. How to say ‘Bye!’ in formal Italian – Salve!
How to pronounce it: sal-veh
Meaning: Bye
Usage: Informal and formal Italian greeting
‘Salve’ as a goodbye functions the same as ‘salve’ as a greeting: it is totally fine to use it with friends, but it is also okay in a formal setting. That is why it is one of the best options to go for if you are not quite sure how formal the situation is or if you don’t know someone well.
3. How to say ‘Bye bye!’ in Italian – Ciao! Ciao!
How to pronounce it: chaow chaow
Meaning: Bye bye!
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
Did you think that saying ‘ciao’ both as a ‘hello’ and a ‘goodbye’ was repetitive? Well, get ready for more! Italians often say ‘ciao’ multiple times when saying goodbye – 3 or 4 times, sometimes even more, especially when speaking on the phone.
4. How to say ‘Have a good day’ in Italian – Buona giornata
How to pronounce it: bwoh-nah jor-nah-tah
Meaning: Have a good day
Usage: Informal and formal Italian greeting used before 3-4 p.m
As you may have noticed, Italians do have a tendency to use the same words to say hello and goodbye – which only makes it easier for us to remember!
‘Buongiorno’ or ‘buona giornata’ can be used to wish someone a good day as you leave. You can say ‘buona giornata’ anytime up until around 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon.
What do you say after 4 p.m.? That’s what we’re looking at next!
5. How to say ‘Have a good evening’ in Italian – Buona serata
How to pronounce it: bwoh-nah-seh-rah-tah
Meaning: Have a good evening
Usage: Informal and formal Italian greeting used after 4 p.m
‘Buona sera’ is used in the same as ‘buongiorno’, only after 3-4 p.m. It is slightly more formal, but you may also hear it used among friends.
6. How to say ‘Godspeed’ in Italian – Buon proseguimento
How to pronounce it: bwohn pro-seh-gwee-men-toh
Meaning: Enjoy the rest of your day/evening, Godspeed
Usage: Informal and formal Italian greeting, anytime of day
A common alternative to ‘buona giornata’ and ‘buona serata’ is ‘buon proseguimento’, which wishes the other party an enjoyable rest of their day, evening, or journey home.
7. How to say ‘Goodnight’ in Italian – Buonanotte
How to pronounce it: bwoh-nah not-teh
Meaning: Good night
Usage: Informal and formal Italian greeting, when leaving to go home or to bed
Going to bed? ‘Buona notte’ is an equivalent of the English ‘good night’ and is used when it’s assumed that everyone is going home to bed.
If you’re out with friends and leave earlier than that others, it is better to say ‘buona serata’ or ‘buon proseguimento’, as you’re wishing for them an enjoyable (rest of the) evening.
8. How to say ‘Goodbye’ in Informal Italian – Arrivederci
How to pronounce it: ar-ree-ve-der-chee
Meaning: Goodbye
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
Along with ‘ciao’, ‘arrivederci’ is one of the most popular ways to say goodbye in Italian, and quite well-known outside Italy too! It literally means, ‘until we see each other again’ from the Italian verb ‘rivedere’ (see again)
9. How to say ‘Goodbye’ in Formal Italian – ArrivederLa
How to pronounce it: ar-ree-ve-der-lah
Meaning: Goodbye
Usage: Formal Italian greeting
‘ArrivederLa’ is a more formal way to say ‘arrivederci’. But isn’t ‘arrivederci’ already formal? It is definitely more formal than ‘ciao’ but there may be a situation where you need to increase the degree of formality even more, to demonstrate your respect and politeness.
You use ‘arrivederLa’ when you are speaking to one person, the ‘ci’ in ‘arrivederci’, is the plural version. If you speak to an elderly person, it’s a good idea to use ‘arrivederLa’ – it won’t sound pompous or pretentious, it will only highlight your respect.
Of course, situations may differ. You can be super-informal with your grandma or on friendly terms with all the big bosses at work. However, when dealing with a foreign culture, it is best to be a bit on the formal side at first before you get to know the people and the culture better.
10. How to say ‘See you later’ in Italian – A dopo
How to pronounce it: ah doh-poh
Meaning: See you later (literally, until later)
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
‘A dopo’ is an Italian equivalent of the English ‘see you later’ but is only used when you’re actually going to see the person again later that day.
Imagine seeing a foreign guest off at the airport and they say ‘see you soon’. It is not that big of a mistake, but it feels weird as you are unlikely to see them again soon or maybe at all.
11. How to say ‘See you soon’ in Italian – A presto
How to pronounce it: ah pres-toh
Meaning: See you soon (literally, until soon)
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
Italians take their goodbyes seriously. Or, to be more exact, literally. Similar to the previous example, do not say ‘a presto’ if you are not going to see the person soon.
If you are leaving work for the day and saying goodbye to your colleagues who you will see the next day – great. If you have been traveling in Italy and are leaving to go back to your home country – this is not the best choice. Instead, saying ‘arrivederci’ would be more appropriate.
12. How to say ‘See you tomorrow’ in Italian – A domani
How to pronounce it: ah doh-mah-nee
Meaning: See you tomorrow (literally, until tomorrow)
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
Can you see the pattern yet? ‘A’ followed by a time frame will specify when you plan on seeing the person again – in this case ‘domani’ (tomorrow). It goes without saying that you would only say ‘a domani’ when you’re actually going to see the person the next day, like a friend, tour guide or to the barista at the cafe where you get your morning coffee.
13. How to say ‘See you in a bit’ in Italian – A tra poco / A fra poco
How to pronounce it: ah tra poh koh / ah fra poh-koh
Meaning: See you in a bit (literally, until a little)
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
‘A tra poco’ or ‘a fra poco’ can be used interchangeably with ‘a dopo’. Perhaps, you are running a little late for a meeting with a friend and you are calling to say that you’re almost there and will see them in a few minutes – you can finish your call with ‘a tra poco’.
14. How to say ‘See you’ in Italian – Ci vediamo
How to pronounce it: chee ved-yah-moh
Meaning: See you (literally, until we see each other)
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
Just like ‘a presto’, ‘ci vediamo’ should be used when you are going to (or hoping to) see the person again soon. For example, if you’re having breakfast with a friend who you will see that evening at a party, you could say: Ci vediamo stasera, buona giornata! – I’ll see you tonight, have a good day!
15. How to say ‘Bye’ in informal Italian – Ti saluto! Vi saluto!
How to pronounce it: tee sah-loo-toh / vi sah-loo-toh
Meaning: See you, bye (literally, I salute you)
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
This tongue-in cheek salutation is a fun alternative to bidding your friends goodbye. Say ‘ti saluto’ when you’re talking to just one person and use ‘vi saluto!’ when addressing more than one person.
Use this fun Italian salutation as you leave by saying something like, ‘Ora torno a casa, ragazzi, vi saluto!’ – I’m going home now, guys. Bye!
Just the word ‘saluto’ is also commonly used to end written correspondence to friends and family. For example, ‘Grazie Mario, un saluto a te e famiglia’ – Thanks Marco, greetings to you and the family.
16. How to say ‘Take Care’ in Italian – Stammi bene / Statemi bene
How to pronounce it: stahm-me beh-nay / stah-teh-me beh-nay
Meaning: Take care (literally, stay well)
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
‘Stammi bene’ (singular) is the Italian equivalent of saying ‘take care (of yourself)’. It is used a lot when seeing off friends and close family members in person, but it can also be used in writing. ‘Statemi bene’ is the plural form you can use to say goodbye to a group of friends.
Tips for saying ‘Goodbye’ in Italian
Similar to Italian greetings, Italians often use a combination of several different expressions when saying goodbye. For example, ‘Ciao ciao! Ci vediamo’ or ‘Ciao! A dopo!’, ‘Buona giornata! ArrivederLa’.
Gesti Italiani: How Italians say ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ with gesti (gestures)
Italians are an animated bunch and love using their hands or gesti (gestures) to express themselves. Body language plays a big part when Italian greet each other and say goodbye.
Kissing on the cheek is big in Italy. This is reserved for close friends and family and between men (although maybe a tad less common). To avoid an embarrassing accidental kiss on the cheek, the rule to rule is to kiss the left cheek first and then the right.
If you’re on less familiar terms, the first time you meet someone, a traditional handshake is common. Once you get to know the person, you’ll no doubt move into cheek-kissing territory. Pucker up!
From a simple bacio sulla guancia (a kiss on the cheek) or un abbraccio (a hug), match your Italian greeting with these common gestures:
- Informal: A kiss on each cheek, and/or a hug with friends and relatives.
- Formal: Shake hands with new acquaintances and in formal situations
C’è la puoi fare! (You’ve got this!)
That’s it! You’ve just learned the most common ways Italian say goodbye. Quite often you can use the same phrases to both greet and say goodbye to someone so if at first you struggle to remember which greetings are formal or informal, just remember one or two: ‘buongiorno’ (Good morning) and ‘arrivederci‘ (Goodbye).
The important thing is to stay motivated and have a positive attitude. Learning Italian greetings are a great way to get your foot in the door and break the ice with locals, even if your fumble and make mistakes. Any effort you make will always be appreciated. If you accidentally slip and say ‘ciao!’, Italians are very forgiving people and can see that you’re still learning. To help you start a conversation, learn how to say ‘how are you?’ in Italian.
As the saying goes, well begun is half done. Learning Italian greetings is a great start to mastering the Italian language for travel and making a good first impression on your future new Italian friends.
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