Goodbye in Italian
Goodbye in Italian is arrivederci (ahr-ree-veh-DEHR-chee).
Arrivederci ahr-ree-veh-DEHR-chee Ciao CHOW
It is polite and works with anyone. With friends and family, just say ciao (CHOW).
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Scan with your phone camera All the ways to say goodbye in Italian
Course phrases have a picture. Tap the speaker to hear each one.
| Phrase | Listen | Meaning | When to use it | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrivederci ahr-ree-veh-DEHR-chee | Goodbye | The standard goodbye: shops, offices, people you don't know well. Fine with friends too | Neutral | |
 Ciao CHOW | Bye (also: hi) | Friends, family, people your age | Informal | |
| Arrivederla ahr-ree-veh-DEHR-lah | Goodbye (very formal) | To one person you address as Lei, in very formal situations | Formal | |
 A presto ah PREHS-toh | See you soon | When you will meet again soon, but not sure when | Neutral | |
| A dopo ah DOH-poh | See you later | When you will see them again later on, often the same day | Neutral | |
| A domani ah doh-MAH-nee | See you tomorrow | When you will see them tomorrow | Neutral | |
| Ci vediamo chee veh-DYAH-moh | See you | Friendly, very common and fine with anyone; add when: ci vediamo domani, ci vediamo dopo | Neutral | |
| Alla prossima AHL-lah PROHS-see-mah | Until next time | A casual sign-off, also in messages | Informal | |
 Buona giornata BWOH-nah johr-NAH-tah | Have a good day | Leaving a shop, a café or a person during the day | Neutral | |
| Buona serata BWOH-nah seh-RAH-tah | Have a good evening | Leaving in the late afternoon or evening | Neutral | |
| Buonanotte bwoh-nah-NOHT-teh | Good night | Late at night, or when someone is going to bed | Neutral | |
| Addio ahd-DEE-oh | Farewell (forever) | Only for a goodbye you think is final. In everyday life it sounds dramatic | Neutral |
Arrivederci, arrivederla or ciao?
- Arrivederci is the safe choice everywhere. It literally means "until we see each other again" (a + rivederci).
- Arrivederla is the very formal version for one person you address as Lei (the polite "you" for strangers and older people): a client, an official, an older stranger. It sounds old-fashioned to some people; arrivederci is never wrong.
- Ciao is for people you know well, or people your age. Saying ciao to a shopkeeper you don't know can sound too familiar; say arrivederci or buongiorno instead (it works as a goodbye too, see below).
- Salve (SAHL-veh) is a neutral, polite hello. Traditionally it is only for arriving; some people now use it when leaving too, but arrivederci is the safe goodbye.
Goodbyes by time of day
Italians often say goodbye by wishing you a good rest of the day:
- Buona giornata: have a good day (morning and early afternoon).
- Buona serata: have a good evening (late afternoon and evening).
- Buonanotte: good night, when it is late or someone is going to bed.
Buongiorno (bwohn-JOHR-noh) and buonasera (bwoh-nah-SEH-rah) are greetings, but many people also use them when leaving a shop or an office.
Addio: the goodbye to avoid
Addio means goodbye for good. It belongs in films, songs and real farewells. Said to a friend after dinner, it sounds as if you never want to see them again. Use ciao, ci vediamo or a presto instead.
Pronunciation tips for English speakers
- Ciao is one syllable: CHOW. The i only tells you to read c as "ch".
- In arrivederci, roll the double rr; the single r later is a quick tap. Read ci as "chee": ahr-ree-veh-DEHR-chee.
- Hold double consonants a little longer: the tt in buonanotte, the dd in addio.
- Buona starts with "bw": BWOH-nah.
Example sentences with audio
Course sentences come first, then a few more for real life.
- Arrivederci, Anna! Goodbye, Anna!
- A presto, Mia! See you soon, Mia!
- Ci vediamo domani! See you tomorrow!
- Buona giornata, John! Have a nice day, John!
- Ci vediamo allora, Mark. See you then, Mark.
- Arrivederci, a domani. Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
- Ciao, a dopo! Bye, see you later!
- Grazie e arrivederla, signora. Thank you and goodbye, madam.
- Buonanotte, sogni d'oro! Good night, sweet dreams!
Quick quiz
Five questions from the words on this page.
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Questions people ask
Is ciao hello or goodbye?
Both. Ciao means hi and bye, but only with people you know well or people your age.
Is arrivederci formal?
It is polite but not stiff: you can say it to anyone. The very formal form is arrivederla.
What does arrivederci literally mean?
"Until we see each other again": a (until) + rivedere (to see again) + ci (each other).
Can I say addio?
Only for a final farewell. For everyday goodbyes it sounds dramatic; say ciao or a presto.
How do you say "see you later" in Italian?
A dopo for later the same day, a presto for soon, ci vediamo for "see you".
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