Hello in Italian

Ever struggled to know how to say hello in Italian without feeling awkward? You’re not alone.

In this article, we’ll guide you through 9 essential Italian greetings, from casual to formal, plus 20 additional ways to say hello, covering regional and cultural nuances.

By following this simple plan, you’ll communicate confidently, naturally, and respectfully in any situation.

On my first day interacting with Italian colleagues, I tried greeting someone for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by how warmly they responded, it instantly made the conversation feel friendly yet respectful.

Keep reading, and you’ll soon master Italian greetings that leave a friendly, polished impression every time.

Greeting	Meaning	Formality Level	When to Use	Time of Day	Best Context	Avoid Using When
Ciao	Hello / Hi / Bye	Informal	Friends, peers, teens, casual interaction	Anytime	Daily conversation, texting, casual encounters	Professional or formal environments
Salve	Hello (neutral, polite)	Neutral–Formal	Speaking to strangers or acquaintances respectfully	Anytime	Shops, offices, hotels, polite conversation	Rarely wrong — just less used with kids/friends
Buongiorno	Good morning/day	Formal–Polite	Morning social or business encounters	Morning to early afternoon	Cafés, work, school, travel	Late afternoon/evening
Buonasera	Good evening	Formal–Polite	Evening greetings, events, dining	Late afternoon to night	Restaurants, formal meetings	Morning or early day
Ehilà	Hey there!	Informal	With friends, classmates, relaxed tone	Anytime	Friendly encounters, excitement	Formal situations or with elders
Ciao bella/bello	Hi beautiful/handsome	Very informal / affectionate	Close friends, playful or flirty tone	Anytime	Friendly or romantic settings	With strangers or in professional situations
Ueilà / Ue	Yo! / Hey!	Informal	Used mostly in northern Italy, friendly tone	Anytime	Street slang among young people	Formal settings or with adults you don’t know
Salve a tutti	Hello everyone	Neutral–Formal	Greeting a group politely	Anytime	Presentations, class, meetings	Very casual friend-only settings
Buondì	Good day (light tone)	Semi-formal/Friendly	Quick morning greeting	Morning	Neighbors, shops, friendly interactions	Late day or night

Main Hello in the Italian Language

1. Ciao

Ciao is the most internationally recognized Italian greeting and functions as both hello and goodbye. It originates from the Venetian phrase s-ciavo meaning I am your servant, used as a humble, friendly salutation. Over time, the meaning became less literal and transformed into a casual everyday greeting.

Ciao is best used with friends, family, peers, and young people, not typically with authority figures or strangers in formal settings. When traveling, expect to hear Ciao! almost everywhere, especially among younger generations.

You can add the Italy Magazine article “The Origins of the Word ‘Ciao’” as a strong reference, since it explains how ciao developed from the Venetian s-ciavo meaning I am your servant and gradually became the casual everyday greeting commonly used today among friends and peers.

Example use:
You see a friend at school → “Ciao, come stai?” (Hey/Hi, how are you?)

See Also Italian Garden Statues

2. Salve

Salve is a polite, neutral greeting, suitable for both formal and semi-formal situations. It dates back to Latin “salvē”, meaning be well or good health to you. Unlike ciao, which is casual, salve fits perfectly when speaking to someone you do not know well, such as a shopkeeper, receptionist, or a teacher. It is respectful but not overly stiff, making it the perfect bridge between informal and formal Italian.

When I first started learning Italian, I used “Salve” to greet a new Italian classmate I didn’t know very well. It felt polite without sounding too formal, and the conversation flowed comfortably. That moment made me realize how useful salve is when you want to show respect but still keep things friendly.

Example use:
Greeting a doctor, hotel staff, or new acquaintance → “Salve, piacere di conoscerla.” (Hello, pleased to meet you.)

3. Buongiorno

Buongiorno translates directly to good day and is used commonly from morning until early afternoon, roughly up to 2–3 PM. Historically, daytime greetings in Italian developed around the cycle of sunlight, reflecting agricultural life where mornings marked the start of work. Buongiorno sounds warm, elegant, and universally polite. It is appropriate in business, school, or when meeting adults and elders.

Example use:
You walk into a café before noon → “Buongiorno, un cappuccino per favore.”

Casual and Modern Ways to Say Hello in Italian

4. Buonasera

Buonasera means good evening, normally used from late afternoon until late at night. It evolved as the evening counterpart of buongiorno during medieval times, when nightfall marked the end of labor and the start of social interaction. Italians use buonasera in restaurants, gatherings, and formal meetings after sunset. Even though it sounds polite, it’s still warm and welcoming.

Example use:
Arriving at dinner around 7 PM → “Buonasera, abbiamo una prenotazione.” (Good evening, we have a reservation.)

5. Ehilà

Ehilà is energetic, light-hearted, and best translated as hey there! It’s a modern informal greeting mostly used among close friends or people you are comfortable joking around with. The word likely comes from Italian interjections ehi and ah, blending into a cheerful attention-grabbing call. It shows friendliness and familiarity without any formality attached.

Example use:
Seeing a friend unexpectedly in the street → “Ehilà! Che sorpresa!” (Hey! What a surprise!)

See Also Italian Fashion Trends

6. Ciao bella / Ciao bello

These phrases mean hello beautiful (female) / hello handsome (male). They are affectionate compliments, commonly used between friends, partners, or playful acquaintances. Expressions like these grew popular through Italian cinema and music, helping spread the romantic charm associated with Italian culture. However, tone matters: if used with strangers, it might sound flirtatious or overly familiar.

According to GaminTraveler’s article “Why Saying ‘Ciao Bella’ in Milan Gets American Men Blacklisted”, using greetings like “Ciao bella” with strangers can be perceived as overly familiar or flirtatious rather than friendly. This highlights why tone and context matter, matching your point that these phrases are best reserved for friends, partners, or playful acquaintances.

Example use:
Greeting a close friend warmly → “Ciao bella, tutto bene?”

Regional and Cultural Variants of Greetings in Italy

7. Ueilà / Ue

Popular in Northern Italy, especially Milan and Lombardy, Ueilà/Ue is casual and youthful, similar to saying yo! This greeting likely evolved from local dialectal expressions and is strongly tied to urban street culture. It conveys relaxed friendliness and familiarity—never used formally. It is something you say when meeting buddies, classmates, or anyone you know well.

At work in Milan, a colleague greeted me with “Ueilà!” when I arrived at the office. At first, it felt a bit strange because I wasn’t used to such casual greetings at work, but they explained it’s a common, friendly way to say hello among peers. After that, it felt natural and relaxed.

Example use:
Spotting a friend at a metro station → “Ueilà! Vieni con me?” (Yo! Come with me?)

8. Salve a tutti

Salve a tutti means hello everyone and is ideal when addressing a group. It maintains politeness yet remains neutral enough for informal gatherings. Historically, group greetings were necessary in village life, where communication often took place in public squares. You might hear this in meetings, classrooms, or events where someone needs to greet an audience respectfully without sounding stiff like a formal speech.

Example use:
Starting a school presentation → “Salve a tutti, oggi parleremo di…”

9. Buondì

Buondì is a shorter, cheerful variation of buongiorno, used mostly in central and northern regions. It feels lighter and more playful than the full greeting, similar to saying good day! in a brisk tone. Historically, smaller words emerged because merchants, travelers, and farmers needed quicker speech forms during fast-paced workdays. Today, buondì is friendly and semi-formal, appropriate for cafés, neighbors, coworkers, or strangers.

Example use:
Passing by someone in the morning → “Buondì! Che bella giornata.”

Additional Ways to Say Hello in Italian

1. Pronto — hello (used on the phone)
2. Saluti — greetings
3. Ci vediamo — see you / hi in passing
4. Aho — hey! (Roman slang)
5. Hey — English loan, casual
6. Ola — informal hello (borrowed from Spanish)
7. Bella lì — cool hello among friends
8. Amici miei — hello my friends
9. Che si dice? — what’s up?
10. Dimmi tutto — tell me everything / casual greeting
11. Ben arrivato/a — welcome back/hello
12. Come butta? — how’s life?
13. Tutto bene? — all good?
14. Eccoci — here we are/hello on arrival
15. Oilà — lively hello
16. Oe — short northern greeting
17. Ciao ragazzi — hello guys
18. Buona giornata — have a good day (as greeting/farewell)
19. Compare/Comare — friendly greeting in the south
20. Che fai? — what are you up to?/hello

See Also Italian Family Culture

Hello in Italian: A Recap

Mastering Italian greetings goes far beyond memorizing vocabulary; it requires understanding context, tone, and cultural nuance. From the casual ciao used among friends to the polite salve for semi-formal encounters, and from affectionate expressions like ciao bella/bello to regional variants such as ueilà, each greeting reflects Italy’s rich linguistic and social traditions.

Choosing the right salutation can convey respect, friendliness, or warmth, and using the wrong one may create unintended impressions. Personally, learning to navigate these greetings in real interactions, like a colleague explaining the casual energy behind ueilà, highlighted how much culture shapes language.

By appreciating these subtleties, anyone can communicate more authentically and confidently in Italian, blending etiquette with natural expression.

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