French and Germans are known all over the world because they really appreciate it when strangers try to speak their language instead of talking in English. Italian people appreciate that too! That is why here we suggest a bunch of sentences that are useful to know when you come to Napoli. You can also use the very same sentences in other Italian cities. What we propose is in Italian – the Neapolitan language is a little bit difficult to read and pronounce.
Greetings in Italian
- Ciao is perfect to say for almost every informal situation. Whether you are coming in or going out, use ‘Ciao’! We usually translate it in “Hello” – that is why it is not perfect for EVERY situation. An alternative is ‘Salve’, which also applies to the ‘Ciao’ situations.
- If you enter a restaurant, in a shop, or you just are in a formal situation where you have to say ‘Good morning’, use ‘Buongiorno’ (from the morning to the afternoon) and ‘Buonasera’ (from the afternoon to the night). Also, you can use ‘buona giornata’ (have a nice day) or ‘buona serata’ (have a nice evening).
- When you have to say goodbye, in formal situations, use ‘Arrivederci’! It literally means “until we meet again”! Italian doesn’t use ‘arrivederci’ in informal situations: it may be very strange saying this to a friend! If you want to say goodbye to a friend, you can use Ciao or ‘A presto’, which means ‘see you soon’.
- If you have to see a friend again during the day, you can say goodbye saying ‘a dopo’ which literally means “see you later”!
We understand: learning Italian is not to easy as it seems. But, by using a few words you will make who welcomes you happier. Don’t be afraid to talk!