In Italian, how you greet someone depends on the time of day, the formality of the situation, and whether you know the person. Italian has two levels of address: informal (tu) and formal (Lei). Use tu with friends, family, and peers; Lei with strangers, elders, and in professional contexts.
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Ciao | hi / bye | informal, anytime |
| Salve | hello | neutral, slightly formal |
| Buongiorno | good morning / good day | morning until early afternoon |
| Buonasera | good evening | late afternoon and evening |
| Buonanotte | good night | when going to bed |
| Arrivederci | goodbye | formal farewell |
| A presto | see you soon | informal farewell |
| A domani | see you tomorrow | informal farewell |
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Mi chiamo... | My name is... (literally: I call myself...) |
| Sono... | I am... |
| Come ti chiami? | What's your name? (informal) |
| Come si chiama? | What's your name? (formal) |
| Piacere! | Nice to meet you! |
| Di dove sei? | Where are you from? (informal) |
| Sono di Roma. | I'm from Rome. |
| Quanti anni hai? | How old are you? (informal) |
| Ho 25 anni. | I'm 25 years old. |
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Come stai? | How are you? (informal) |
| Come sta? | How are you? (formal) |
| Bene, grazie! | Fine, thanks! |
| Molto bene! | Very well! |
| Cosi cosi. | So-so. |
| Non c'e male. | Not bad. |
| E tu? | And you? (informal) |
| E Lei? | And you? (formal) |
Always use 'Lei' (formal) with people you don't know, older people, and in professional settings. 'Mi chiamo' literally means 'I call myself' — it is the standard way to state your name. 'Ho __ anni' uses avere (to have) — Italians 'have' years, not 'are' an age.
10 exercises · 0 completed
Greetings by Time of Day
10 questions
Saying Goodbye
10 questions
Greeting Vocabulary
10 questions
Choosing the Right Greeting
10 questions
Nice to Meet You — Piacere
10 questions
Informal vs Formal Greetings
10 questions
Greeting Translations
10 questions
Greetings in Dialogue Context
10 questions
Greetings Fill in the Blank
10 questions
Greetings Review
10 questions
10 exercises · 0 completed
Saying Your Name — Mi chiamo / Sono
10 questions
Where Are You From?
10 questions
Asking and Saying Your Age
10 questions
What Do You Do? — Professions
10 questions
Introduction Sentences
10 questions
Introduction Questions
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Answering Introduction Questions
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Professions Vocabulary
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Introductions Fill in the Blank
10 questions
Introductions Review
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10 exercises · 0 completed
Tu vs Lei — The Basics
10 questions
Informal vs Formal Questions
10 questions
Formal How Are You — Come sta?
10 questions
Formal or Informal? — Recognizing the Context
10 questions
Identifying Formal or Informal Register
10 questions
Converting Between Formal and Informal
10 questions
Completing Formal Dialogues
10 questions
Spotting Register Errors
10 questions
Formal vs Informal Fill in the Blank
10 questions
Formal vs Informal — Review
10 questions
10 exercises · 0 completed
Responding to 'Come stai?'
10 questions
Full 'How Are You?' Exchanges
10 questions
Wellbeing Vocabulary — bene, così così, male
10 questions
Thank You and You're Welcome
10 questions
Responding to Introductions
10 questions
Excuse Me and I'm Sorry
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Small Talk Responses
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Please, Excuse Me, and Polite Phrases
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Wellbeing Responses in Context
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Responding — Review
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10 exercises · 0 completed
Full Conversation — First Meeting (Informal)
10 questions
Full Conversation — Formal First Meeting
10 questions
Dialogue Sequencing
10 questions
Choosing the Right Phrase
10 questions
Mixed Scenario Practice
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Spot the Error in Conversations
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Matching Questions with Answers
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Real-Life Scenarios
10 questions
Complete Introduction Passage
10 questions
Final Review — Greetings & Introductions
10 questions