Learn Italian: Greetings & Introductions
Mastering basic greetings and introductions is the first step toward connecting with people in Italy. This lesson provides the essential vocabulary needed to start a conversation, share your name, and navigate social etiquette. You will learn time-sensitive greetings like Buongiorno (/bwɔnˈdʒor.no/) for the morning and Buonasera (/ˌbwɔ.naˈse.ra/) for the evening, as well as polite responses such as Grazie (/ˈgrat.tsje/) and Prego (/ˈprɛ.go/).
A key pattern to observe in Italian is the distinction between formal and informal addresses. This distinction changes how you ask questions and address others. For example, you ask a friend "Come stai?" (/ˈko.me stai/), but use "Come sta?" (/ˈko.me sta/) when speaking formally to a Signore or Signora. Similarly, you might ask a peer "Come ti chiami?" (/ˈko.me ti ˈkja.mi/), but always respond to an introduction with the polite Piacere (/pjaˈtʃe.re/), meaning "Nice to meet you."
The lesson also introduces common phrases for saying goodbye and wishing others well. You will practice specific farewells like A domani (/a doˈma.ni/) for "See you tomorrow" and the unique idiom In bocca al lupo (/in ˈbok.ka al ˈlu.po/) to wish someone good luck. Understanding these nuances helps you sound more natural and respectful as you begin your journey into the Italian language.
Vocabulary list
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| Hello (Informal) | Ciao /tʃaʊ/ |
| Hello (Formal) | Salve /ˈsal.ve/ |
| Good morning | Buongiorno /bwɔnˈdʒor.no/ |
| Good afternoon | Buon pomeriggio /ˌbwɔn po.meˈrid.dʒo/ |
| Good evening | Buonasera /ˌbwɔ.naˈse.ra/ |
| Good night | Buonanotte /ˌbwɔ.naˈnɔt.te/ |
| Goodbye | Arrivederci /ar.ri.veˈder.tʃi/ |
| Nice to meet you | Piacere /pjaˈtʃe.re/ |
| How are you? (Informal) | Come stai? /ˈko.me stai/ |
| How are you? (Formal) | Come sta? /ˈko.me sta/ |
| I am well | Sto bene /sto ˈbɛ.ne/ |
| Not bad | Non c'è male /non tʃɛ ˈma.le/ |
| And you? (Informal) | E tu? /e tu/ |
| And you? (Formal) | E lei? /e lɛi/ |
| What is your name? (Informal) | Come ti chiami? /ˈko.me ti ˈkja.mi/ |
| My name is... | Mi chiamo... /mi ˈkja.mo/ |
| Where are you from? | Di dove sei? /di ˈdo.ve sɛi/ |
| I am from... | Sono di... /ˈso.no di/ |
| Please | Per favore /per faˈvo.re/ |
| Thank you | Grazie /ˈgrat.tsje/ |
| You're welcome | Prego /ˈprɛ.go/ |
| Excuse me (Informal) | Scusa /ˈsku.za/ |
| Excuse me (Formal) | Mi scusi /mi ˈsku.zi/ |
| Yes | Sì /si/ |
| No | No /nɔ/ |
| See you soon | A presto /a ˈprɛ.sto/ |
| See you tomorrow | A domani /a doˈma.ni/ |
| Good luck | In bocca al lupo /in ˈbok.ka al ˈlu.po/ |
| Mr. (Mister) | Signore /siɲˈɲo.re/ |
| Mrs. (Madam) | Signora /siɲˈɲo.ra/ |
Practice this lesson with spaced repetition, multiple study modes, and daily streaks.
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