How Do You Say Hello In Rome? 21 Essential Tips

If you’re asking “how do you say hello in Rome?”, the fast answer is:

Ciao — casual hello/bye with friends, peers, and people you know.
Buongiorno / Buon giorno — “good morning / good day” from morning into afternoon; safe and polite with strangers. (Modern usage prefers it written as one word, buongiorno.)
Buonasera / Buona sera — “good evening,” used from late afternoon into the night; also fine when you enter a shop or restaurant later in the day.
Salve — neutral hello that works with strangers in shops, museums, or reception desks (polite but not stiff).
Buonanotte / Buona notte — “good night” for leaving when people are going to sleep, not for arriving.

Keep this in mind: in Rome, a smile + eye contact is part of the greeting. Say the word clearly, add per favore (please) or grazie (thanks), and you’ll sound instantly friendlier.

When each greeting fits (simple rules that always work)

How do you say hello in Rome without worrying about time of day? Use these safe defaults:

Morning to mid-afternoon: Buongiorno.
Late afternoon & evening: Buonasera. (There isn’t a strict clock rule; Romans switch to buonasera from late afternoon onward.)
Anytime, neutral with strangers: Salve.
Only with friends/peers, informal: Ciao.

Quick note on spelling: you’ll see buongiorno (one word) far more than buon giorno (two words). Both exist, but the joined form is the modern norm.

Pronunciation you can copy (no IPA needed)

Ciao → “chow”
Buongiorno / Buon giorno → “bwon-JOR-no”
Buonasera / Buona sera → “bwo-na-SE-ra”
Buonanotte → “bwo-na-NOT-te”
Salve → “SAL-veh”
Buon pomeriggio (afternoon greeting; less common) → “bwon po-meh-REE-jjo”
Buona giornata / Buona serata (have a good day/evening when leaving) → “bwo-na jor-NA-ta / bwo-na se-RA-ta”

Polite vs. informal: match the tone to the moment

Ciao is warm and casual. Use it with close friends, classmates, or hosts you already know.
Salve is your polite, neutral “hello” for reception desks, hotel staff, and store clerks when you’re unsure of formality.
Buongiorno and buonasera are respectful in any context—great when entering a café, shop, or taxi.

Tip: If someone greets you first, mirror their greeting and you’ll always be safe.

English translations at a glance (use this mini-glossary)

Ciao — hello / hi / bye (informal)
Buongiorno (Buon giorno) — good morning / good day
Buonasera (Buona sera) — good evening
Buonanotte (Buona notte) — good night (for saying goodbye at bedtime)
Salve — hello (neutral/polite)
Buon pomeriggio — good afternoon (rare in everyday Rome, but understood; watch out for the common misspelling “buon pomeiggio”)
Buona giornata / Buona serata — have a good day / evening (used when leaving)

Real-life scripts you can reuse (shop, café, taxi, hotel)

In a café (standing at the bar)

You: Buongiorno! Un cappuccino, per favore.
Barista: Subito. Zucchero?
You (leaving): Grazie, buona giornata!

Entering a small shop in the afternoon

You: Buonasera.
Shopkeeper: Buonasera, mi dica.
You: Cerco una sciarpa. Avete qualcosa in cotone?

Hotel reception

You: Salve, abbiamo una prenotazione a nome Rossi.
Reception: Benvenuti! Un documento, per favore?

Meeting your host or guide

You: Ciao, sono Alex. Piacere!
Guide: Piacere, Alex. Pronti a cominciare?

Notice how “how do you say hello in Rome” shifts with the situation: buongiorno/buonasera for service settings, salve if you want neutral politeness, ciao once things are friendly.

Time of day: the only part that confuses travelers

“Should I switch from buongiorno to buonasera at 5 pm?” There’s no strict law. Italians use buonasera from the late afternoon onward; it’s also totally fine when entering a restaurant for an early dinner. Treccani’s note on buonasera mentions it’s used in the afternoon or evening, which is exactly how you’ll hear it in Rome.

Shortcut: If the sun feels low or you’re going to dinner, buonasera is perfect. During the day, stick to buongiorno. And if you’re unsure? Salve.

The little words that make you sound local

Per favore (please) / Grazie (thanks)
Mi scusi (excuse me, formal) / Scusa (informal)
Prego (you’re welcome; also “go ahead”)
Piacere (nice to meet you)
Permesso? (a polite “may I?” when moving past people)

Try pairing a greeting with one of these:
Buongiorno, mi scusi—dov’è la fermata del bus? (Good morning, excuse me—where’s the bus stop?)

Saying goodbye (not just “hello”)

Because “how do you say hello in Rome” often leads to goodbyes, here’s what to use:

Arrivederci — standard goodbye (plural/formal).
ArrivederLa — very formal (to one person).
Ciao — informal bye.
A presto / A dopo / A domani — see you soon / later / tomorrow.
Buona giornata / Buona serata — have a good day/evening (use when leaving).

Spelling & style notes (so your messages look right)

buongiorno vs buon giorno: both appear, but buongiorno (one word) is the standard modern spelling in everyday use.
buonasera vs buona sera: both forms exist; the greeting is commonly written buonasera.
buonanotte is almost always one word when you mean the farewell greeting before sleep.
buon pomeriggio is correct; the misspelling “buon pomeiggio” pops up online—avoid it.

Mini-lessons you can memorize in 60 seconds

1) Entering vs leaving

Entering a café at noon → Buongiorno.
Leaving after you pay → Buona giornata.
Entering a trattoria at 7 pm → Buonasera.
Leaving after dinner → Buona serata.

2) Formal vs friendly

Unsure with the clerk? Salve.
Meeting your new tour buddies? Ciao!
Talking to your host’s nonna? Buongiorno (and a smile).

3) Morning, afternoon, night

Morning → Buongiorno.
Late afternoon → Buonasera.
Bedtime goodbyes → Buonanotte.

Short story: the one espresso that changed your Italian

You walk into a tiny bar near Campo de’ Fiori. It’s 4:30 pm. You want to try your new Italian.
You: Buonasera! Un espresso, per favore.
Barista (smiles): Subito.
Two sips later you say, Grazie, buona serata! The barista answers, A presto!
That’s it. You just nailed “how do you say hello in Rome”—and also how to say good evening and goodbye naturally.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them fast)

Using “buonanotte” when you arrive at dinner. Save it for leaving at bedtime.
Only saying “ciao.” It’s friendly, but in shops and with older strangers it can feel too casual.
Forgetting a goodbye. Romans appreciate a parting arrivederci or buona giornata.
Overthinking the clock. If it’s late in the day, buonasera is fine—you don’t need a precise hour.

Cultural extras that make your greetings shine

Volume & body language: Speak calmly, make brief eye contact, and add a small nod.
Titles show respect: With staff or older people, a soft signora (ma’am) or signore (sir) after the greeting is kind: Buonasera, signora.
Group hellos: When entering a small shop, greeting the room with one buongiorno is appreciated.

Tiny grammar that helps a lot

Buongiorno and buonasera can also be nouns: il buongiorno, la buonasera. (You’ll mainly use them as greetings.)
Piacere follows ciao/buongiorno when meeting someone: Piacere, sono Luca (Nice to meet you, I’m Luca).
Come va? (How’s it going?) works informally after a hello; Come sta? is formal.

Quick practice (repeat out loud)

Buongiorno, un cappuccino?
Salve, due biglietti per favore.
Buonasera, tavolo per due.
Ciao! Piacere, sono Emma.
Grazie, buona giornata!

Read them once. Now again—faster. That’s your pocket routine for Rome.

FAQs

How do you say hello in rome?

Buongiorno (day), buonasera (later), salve (neutral), ciao (informal). Add a smile and you’re set.

What about “good morning / good evening / good night” in Italian?

Good morning = buongiorno; good evening = buonasera; good night = buonanotte (used when leaving to sleep).

Is “good afternoon” common?

Buon pomeriggio exists but is less common in Rome. People stick to buongiorno until later, then switch to buonasera.

Do I need to know much Italian to be polite?

No. A clear greeting plus per favore and grazie goes a long way.

Do Italians say “ciao” to strangers?

Sometimes, but not always in Rome. In shops or formal settings, buongiorno/buonasera or salve sounds more respectful. Use ciao once things are friendly.

Is “salve” formal or informal?

It’s a neutral greeting. Think of it as a safe “hello” when you’re not sure which tone fits—reception desks, museum counters, or when addressing someone olde

Wrap-up

How do you say hello in Rome? Use buongiorno by day, buonasera later, salve when you want a neutral hello, and ciao with friends. For goodbyes, say arrivederci, buona giornata, or buona serata. Spelling tip: modern usage prefers buongiorno and buonasera as single words.