The everyday goodbye in Italian is Ciao (chow), the same word as hello, for friends and anyone you call tu. Arrivederci (ah-ree-veh-DEHR-chee) is the polite, all-purpose goodbye that suits anyone, including people you address as Lei. When you expect to meet again, say A presto (see you soon) or A domani (see you tomorrow).
- Informal
- Ciao!
- Polite, all-purpose
- Arrivederci!
- Very formal
- ArrivederLa!
- See you soon
- A presto!
- Level
- A1
Ciao or arrivederci: which goodbye fits?
Arrivederci means "until we see each other again", and it is the safe choice: polite enough for a shopkeeper or a doctor, and still normal between friends. Ciao is only for the tu side of your life.
| Italian | Sounds like | Register | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ciao! | chow | Informal | Friends, family, children, people you call tu |
| Ciao ciao! | chow chow | Informal, cheerful | Ending a phone call, waving off a child |
| Arrivederci! | ah-ree-veh-DEHR-chee | Polite, neutral | Anyone: leaving a shop, a doctor's, a hotel |
| ArrivederLa! | ah-ree-veh-DEHR-lah | Very formal | One person you address as Lei; can sound old-fashioned |
| Buona giornata! / Buona serata! | BWOH-nah jor-NAH-tah | Any | Have a good day / evening: often added to arrivederci |
| Ci vediamo! | chee veh-DYAH-moh | Informal | See you: friends, colleagues |
| Addio! | ahd-DEE-oh | Dramatic | Farewell for ever; not an everyday goodbye |
Leaving a shop, Italians often stack two or three of these: Grazie, arrivederci, buona giornata!
How do you say you have to leave?
Before the goodbye comes the exit line. In Italian it is usually short and in the present tense.
Devo andare.
I have to go.
Scappo! Ciao!
I must dash! Bye!
Literally "I'm running away". Very common and informal.
Si è fatto tardi.
It's got late.
A gentle way to start leaving.
Allora, io vado.
Right, I'm off.
In chapter 2 of a Contos B1 mystery set in Rome, a mother hides a message from her daughter and makes a quick exit with a promise to be back:
Prende le chiavi e dice a Chiara: "Devo uscire un momento. Tornerò presto."How do you say see you tomorrow or see you soon?
Italian builds these with a (to, until) plus a time word, or with ci vediamo (we'll see each other). There is more on these on how to say see you later in Italian.
A domani!
See you tomorrow!
A presto!
See you soon!
Also a friendly way to sign off an email.
Alla prossima!
Until next time!
Ci vediamo lunedì.
See you on Monday.
Ci sentiamo!
Talk soon!
When the next contact will be a call or a message.
Why shouldn't you say addio?
Addio means goodbye for good. You find it in opera, in old songs, at the end of a relationship and at funerals. Said to a waiter or a friend you will see next week, it sounds theatrical or as if you are never coming back. Stick to ciao or arrivederci.
The other mistake is using ciao with someone you would address as Lei. It is rarely taken as rude, but arrivederci is the better choice with officials, older strangers and shop staff. For greetings, see how to say hello in Italian.
Read the first two chapters of an Italian story for free, and tap any word to see what it means.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
Is arrivederci formal?
It is polite but not stiff. Italians use it with strangers, shop staff and officials, and also among friends. The truly formal version, ArrivederLa, is aimed at one person addressed as Lei and is less common today.
How do you pronounce arrivederci?
"Ah-ree-veh-DEHR-chee". Roll or tap the double r at the start, stress the der, and say ci as "chee", because c before i sounds like the English ch.
How do you end an email in Italian?
To friends: A presto, Un abbraccio (a hug) or Ciao. In formal emails, Cordiali saluti (kind regards) is the standard sign-off. Distinti saluti is more formal still.
What does ciao ciao mean?
It is a cheerful, informal bye-bye. You hear it at the end of phone calls and when waving to children. It is warm, not childish, among people who use tu.