1.3.1: Saluti iniziali
- Page ID
- 341912
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Greetings in Italian
Italians greet each other in different ways depending on the time of day, their relationship, and the level of formality. In the images below, you’ll see examples of common greetings in everyday situations, from friends meeting up, to a formal interaction between a patient and her dentist, to a polite exchange at a gelateria.
Spoken greetings also change depending on the situation. Whether you're starting a conversation or saying goodbye, there are specific expressions suited to different moments of the day and levels of formality.
The table below shows a selection of Italian greetings, English equivalents, when to use them, and formality levels.
| Italian | English | When to Use | Formality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ciao | Hi / Bye | Anytime; among friends, peers, family | Informal |
| Salve | Hello (neutral) | Anytime; polite, general use | Neutral / Formal |
| Buongiorno | Good morning / Good day | Morning to early afternoon | Informal / Formal |
| Buona giornata | Have a good day | When parting during the day (after saying goodbye) | Formal / Neutral |
| Buonasera | Good evening | Late afternoon through evening | Formal |
| Buona serata | Have a good evening | When parting in the evening (after saying goodbye) | Formal / Neutral |
| Buonanotte | Good night | When parting before bed | Informal / Formal |
| Arrivederci | Goodbye | Anytime; polite departure | Formal |
| A presto / A dopo | See you soon / See you later | Among classmates or friends | Informal |
First Encounters and Introducing Yourself
When Italians meet for the first time, they typically:
- Exchange greetings
- Introduce themselves
- Ask where the other person is from
- Ask how the other person is doing
Here are key expressions:
| English | Informal (tu) | Formal (Lei) |
|---|---|---|
| What’s your name? | Come ti chiami? | Come si chiama? |
| My name is... | Mi chiamo… / Sono… | Mi chiamo… |
| Nice to meet you | Piacere! | Piacere! / Piacere di conoscerla |
| How are you? | Come stai? | Come sta? |
| Fine, thank you | Bene, grazie | Bene, grazie |
| Where are you from? | Di dove sei? | Di dov’è? |
| I’m from... | Sono di... | Sono di... |
Cultural Note: Tu vs Lei
Italian uses two forms of "you":
- Tu – Informal: used with friends, peers, and in casual situations.
- Lei – Formal: used to show respect with strangers, elders, or professionals.
Although Lei literally means “she,” it functions as the formal "you" in conversation.
For example, Come si chiama? literally means "What is her name?" but it actually asks "What is your name?" formally.
Model Dialogues
Lettura 1: Informal Dialogue
Roberto: Ciao! Sono Roberto. Tu come ti chiami?
Sara: Ciao, Roberto! Piacere. Mi chiamo Sara.
Roberto: Di dove sei?
Sara: Sono americana, di Austin.
Roberto: Bello! Mi piace il Texas.
Sara: E tu di dove sei?
Roberto: Sono italiano, sono di Roma.
Sara: Bello! Mi piace l’Italia!
Lettura 2: Formal Dialogue
Signor Tucci: Buongiorno, come si chiama?
Signora Rossi: Buongiorno, sono Paola Rossi. E Lei?
Signor Tucci: Sono il Dottor Tucci, piacere!
Signora Rossi: Piacere mio.
Signor Tucci: Di dov’è?
Signora Rossi: Sono di Firenze, ma abito a Roma da un anno.
Signor Tucci: Le piace Roma?
Signora Rossi: Sì, Roma è una bella città.
Lettura 3: Short Presentation Example
Buonasera a tutti,
Mi chiamo Daniele, sono di Torino, ma vivo a Milano.
Mi piace molto Milano, ma non mi piace lo smog.
Arrivederci!
Ora prova tu! (Now it’s your turn)
Use the following template to introduce yourself in writing or aloud:
Buongiorno / Buonasera,
Mi chiamo _______________.
Sono di ___________________.
Vivo a or abito a ____________________.
Mi piace ___________________.
Practice Activities: Greetings and Introductions
Complete the Informal Dialogue. (Completa il dialogo informale)
Instructions: Fill in the blanks using appropriate expressions based on what you’ve learned so far.
Marco: Ciao! Mi chiamo Marco. Come ti chiami?
Francesca: __________________________. Piacere!
Marco: __________________________!
Francesca: ____________ stai?
Marco: Bene, grazie, e tu?
Francesca: ____________________________.
Marco: Di dove sei?
Francesca: ____________________________, e tu?
Marco: ______________________________.
Francesca: Bene! A presto!
Marco: ______________________________!
Matching: Questions and Answers (Abbina le domande alle risposte )
Instructions: Match each question in Column 1 with the correct answer from Column 2. Write the letter of the answer next to each number.
Domande (Questions):
- Come ti chiami?
- Di dove sei?
- Come stai?
- Piacere di conoscerti.
- Buongiorno!
- Come si chiama?
- Di dov’è?
- Come sta?
Risposte (Answers):
- a. Mi chiamo Marco
- b. Sono di Napoli
- c. Buongiorno!
- d. Piacere mio
- e. Bene, grazie
- f. Mi chiamo Alessandra
- g. Sono di Roma
- h. Sto molto bene, grazie
Formal or Informal? ( Formale o Informale)
Instructions: Write F (formal) or I (informal) next to each exchange.
- Come si chiama? — Mi chiamo Lorenzo. _______
- Come ti chiami? — Sono Giulia. _______
- Come sta? — Sto bene, grazie. _______
- Di dove sei? — Sono di Milano. _______
- Di dov’è? — Sono di Venezia. _______
- Piacere di conoscerti. — Piacere mio! _______
Complete the Dialogues: Informal & Formal ( Completa i dialoghi : informale e formale)
Informal Dialogue (dialogo informale)
Marco: __________
Franco: Ciao!
Marco: Sono Marco. Tu, _________?
Franco: Franco.
Marco: __________?
Franco: Di Messina. E tu?
Marco: Io sono di Torino, ma abito qui a Bologna. ________?
Franco: Abito a Messina. Sono a Bologna per lavoro.
Formal Dialogue (dialogo formale)
Signor Rossi: __________
Signor Lanza: Buongiorno!
Signor Rossi: Sono Marco. Lei, ________?
Signor Lanza: Mi chiamo Franco.
Signor Rossi: __________?
Signor Lanza: Di Messina. E Lei?
Signor Rossi: Io sono di Torino, ma abito qui a Bologna. __________?
Signor Lanza: Abito a Messina. Sono a Bologna per lavoro.
Now your turn: Create a Video (Ora tocca a te: crea un video)
🎥 Instructions: Record a short video (alone or with a classmate) including the following:
-
A greeting
-
Your name
-
Asking and answering how you are
-
Asking and answering where you are from
Upload your video according to your instructor’s directions.