Goodbye and have a good evening!
ar-ri-ve-DER-ci — five syllables; stress on the fourth. The 'ci' at the end is a soft 'ch' sound as in 'cheese'.
Use this as a farewell greeting when leaving the tabaccheria, especially in the evening. It's the standard polite goodbye in Italian shops.
'Arrivederci' literally means 'until we see each other again' — it is the standard formal goodbye. 'Buona serata' (good evening) is added as a warm farewell. The shopkeeper will typically reply 'Altrettanto!' (likewise) or 'Grazie, anche a lei!' (thank you, you too!).
Arrivederci, a presto!
Goodbye, see you soon!
'A presto' implies you'll return — used by regular customers
Buonanotte!
Good night!
Used only when it's actually night-time — past about 9 p.m.
Ci vediamo domani!
See you tomorrow!
Used by regulars who visit daily
Italians place great value on proper greetings and farewells in commercial settings. Entering a shop without saying 'Buongiorno' and leaving without 'Arrivederci' is considered slightly rude. Regular customers at neighbourhood tabaccherie often have long-established greeting rituals with the owner, reinforcing community bonds.