Anton
How do you say Hello in Italy, in emails and in oral speech? (formal / informal words)
Nov 23, 2014 1:17 PM
Answers · 5
4
Ciao! :) There is quite a wide range of possibilities, actually.. when you meet someone you know pretty well, you can simply say "ciao!". When the situation gets more formal you should say "Salve" (it isn't true that it is less used..) or "buonasera/buongiorno". In emails or letters, you could say "ciao" once again, although I think you would normally start a letter writing "Caro/a ......" (Dear ......); this of course if you're writing to a friend or someone you know well. In formal occasion, the letter can start with "Gentile(Gentilissimo/a) Signor(a) [surname]" (literally (Very) kind Sir/lady) or even "Egregio/a Signor(a)". The latter is very very very formal and, I'd say, even a little archaic, though still widely used. These are just a few of the many possibilities... I hope I was helpful :)
November 24, 2014
2
Ciao! :) There is quite a wide range of possibilities, actually.. when you meet someone you know pretty well, you can simply say "ciao!". When the situation gets more formal you should say "Salve" (it isn't true that it is less used..) or "buonasera/buongiorno". In emails or letters, you could say "ciao" once again, although I think you would normally start a letter writing "Caro/a ......" (Dear ......); this of course if you're writing to a friend or someone you know well. In formal occasion, the letter can start with "Gentile(Gentilissimo/a) Signor(a) [surname]" (literally (Very) kind Sir/lady) or even "Egregio/a Signor(a)". The latter is very very very formal and, I'd say, even a little archaic, though still widely used. These are just a few of the many possibilities... I hope I was helpful :)
November 24, 2014
1
Hi Anton! In Italian you can say CIAO in informal ocasions. The informal word canbe BUONGIORNO/BUONASERA or SALVE (less used)
November 23, 2014
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