Common Italian slang for greetings and farewells
Italian Slang: Converse with Confidence!: Common Italian slang for greetings and farewells
Common Italian slang greetings and farewells include:
- “Ciao” — A very common informal greeting used to say both hello and goodbye among friends, family, or people you know well. It is informal and very popular. 1, 8, 10
- “Salve” — A more neutral or formal greeting that can be used for both hello and goodbye. It is suitable for strangers or more formal contexts. 8, 1
- “Arrivederci” — A formal way to say goodbye meaning “until we see each other again,” commonly used in work or formal settings. 10, 8
- Informal farewells like:
- “A presto” (See you soon)
- “A dopo” (See you later)
- “A domani” (See you tomorrow)
- “A tra poco” (See you in a bit). 10
- Casual repetitions or playful variations such as “Ciao ciao!”, or truncated phone goodbyes like “cià cià cià!” are also frequently heard. 10
- Other informal greetings sometimes used include slang or regional variations like “Cià”. 4
These greetings and farewells cover a range from informal and slang expressions to more formal and polite ones, useful depending on the social context and relationship.
If more slang or less formal varieties are needed, Italian speakers also use expressions like “Dai” (Come on), “Vabbè” (Ok, fine), and “Boh” (I don’t know) in casual conversations, though these are more general slang than greetings specifically. 9
Thus, for common Italian slang greetings and farewells, “Ciao,” “Salve,” and “Arrivederci” plus variations like “A presto” or “A dopo” are key phrases to know.