See you later in Italian is A dopo! (ah DOH-poh) when you will meet again the same day, or A più tardi! (ah pyoo TAR-dee). Ci vediamo! (chee veh-DYAH-moh) is the all-purpose "see you", and you can add a time: Ci vediamo domani, see you tomorrow. All three work with tu or Lei.
- See you later
- A dopo! / A più tardi!
- See you
- Ci vediamo!
- See you soon
- A presto!
- See you tomorrow
- A domani!
- Level
- A1
A dopo, a più tardi or ci vediamo?
Dopo and più tardi both mean later, so either works for a meeting later today. Ci vediamo literally means "we see each other", and because it is about both of you it suits friends and colleagues alike.
| Italian | English | When |
|---|---|---|
| A dopo! | See you later! | Later today |
| A più tardi! | See you later! | Later today; a shade more careful |
| Ci vediamo! | See you! | Any time; friends, colleagues |
| Ci vediamo dopo. | See you later. | Later today |
| A presto! | See you soon! | No fixed date; also closes emails |
| A domani! | See you tomorrow! | Tomorrow |
| Alla prossima! | Till next time! | Casual |
| Ci sentiamo! | Talk soon! | Next contact by phone or message |
| Arrivederci, a più tardi. | Goodbye, see you later. | With Lei, at a shop or office |
Ciao is both hello and goodbye among friends, so Ciao, a dopo! is a complete, natural farewell.
How do you say see you on a particular day or at a time?
Put a before the time word: a stasera, a lunedì. For a clock time, use alle: ci vediamo alle otto.
A stasera!
See you this evening!
A lunedì!
See you on Monday!
Days of the week take a small letter.
Ci vediamo alle otto.
See you at eight.
Ci vediamo sabato in piazza.
See you in the square on Saturday.
A tra poco!
See you in a bit!
A fra poco means the same.
Ci vediamo la settimana prossima.
See you next week.
Più tardi also works in stories, where it moves the action on. In a Contos A1 mystery, an elderly woman keeps watch over her neighbours after her scarf goes missing from the laundry room:
Più tardi, Giulia vede Fatima che entra con un'uniforme di infermiera.Which goodbyes should you avoid?
- Addio means farewell for good. It belongs in films and break-ups, not at the end of a coffee.
- ArrivederLa is the very formal Lei version of arrivederci; it sounds stiff in most everyday settings.
- A lunedì means this coming Monday. Il lunedì means on Mondays, every week.
If this is the first time you have met, finish with a line from how to say nice to meet you in Italian before the a dopo.
Read A1 Italian stories one chapter a day, and come back tomorrow for the next. A domani!
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce ci vediamo?
"chee veh-DYAH-moh". Ci is "chee", and the stress falls on DYA. Run the i and a together so it sounds like three syllables after ci, not four.
What is the difference between a dopo and a presto?
A dopo means later today: you have a plan to meet again soon. A presto means see you soon, with no fixed time, which is why it also ends emails and messages.
How do you reply to a dopo?
Say it back: A dopo! or Sì, a dopo! You can add ciao in front among friends. To ci vediamo, the reply is ci vediamo! or a presto!
Is ci vediamo formal or informal?
Neither. It suits friends and colleagues, including colleagues you address as Lei. In shops and offices, arrivederci is the usual goodbye to staff.