10 phrases to say bye in Italian with utmost grace and elegance

Learning to say bye in Italian is not an easy task. Italian is a social code language. When deciding how to moderate your speech, it is critical to consider your audience, and saying goodbye in Italian is especially dependent on your audience.

Italian greetings and farewells change depending on who you’re talking to, what time of day it is, and whether you’ll actually see that person again soon. Using ciao with your boss or saying a presto to someone you won’t see for months sounds awkward to native speakers.

The fastest way to learn these distinctions is practicing with an Italian tutor who can explain why arrivederci works in business settings while addio is reserved for serious, final goodbyes. They’ll catch mistakes before they become habits.

Now let’s move towards some phrases to say bye in Italian.

Ciao (Bye)

In Italian, ciao means “hello” and “goodbye.” It is a colloquial term that should not be used with strangers. When you leave your friends at a bar or your colleagues after a long day at work, you can say ciao.

You can also say “Ciao a tutti” (“Bye, everyone”) when leaving a group of friends or family members. You can also use ciao to end phone calls with friends and family. For example, if you are finally saying goodbye to your mother after a long phone call, you can say, “Ciao mamma!” (“Bye, mom!”). Because you can’t give a real kiss over the phone, you can say “Un bacio” (“A kiss”).

Arrivederci (Goodbye)

Arrivederci literally translates to “until we meet again.” In casual or familial settings, it may sound a little overdramatic. It can, however, be used in formal or commercial settings. On business calls, you can also say arrivederci.

If you are on a conference call with colleagues from all over the world, you can say “Grazie a tutti, arrivederci.” This is formal, polite language.

A presto (See you soon)

In Italian, presto means “soon” or “early.” The phrase “a presto” means “see you soon.” Because Italians take these salutations literally, only use this phrase when you really mean it.

For example, when leaving work and saying goodbye to coworkers you will see again soon, you could say, “A presto!”

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A Dopo (Later)

In Italian, dopo means “after.” When saying goodbye, “A dopo” means “later,” as in “see you later”. Use this phrase only if you intend to see the person later. Otherwise, your audience will be confused. For example, if you call a friend to confirm plans to meet later in the day, you can end the call with “A dopo.”

A tra poco (In a bit)

A tra poco means “in a little while.” It is often used interchangeably with a dopo. Perhaps you’re on your phone, late for an appointment with a friend. You can say, “Sono quasi là… a tra poco!” (“I’m almost there… see you in a minute!”)

Ci vediamo (See you)

The word ci vediamo is derived from the reflexive verb vedersi (to see oneself). It translates as “we see each other.” You can use it in conjunction with the phrases above to say:

• Ci vediamo presto (see you soon)
• Ci vediamo dopo (see you later)
• Ci vediamo tra poco (see you in a bit)

Alla prossima (Until next time)

This is a fairly informal way to end a conversation with someone you see on a regular basis. If you have a weekly cricket match with a friend, you might end your game with “Alla prossima.”

Fai il bravo (Be good)

Bravo means “good” in Italian. Fare il bravo is the verb phrase for “to be good.” Parents often like to tell their children (even adult children) “Fai il bravo!” (“Be good!”) in place of a formal goodbye.

When using this phrase, keep your intended audience in mind. The gender of the audience influences how bravo is used. When speaking to a single man, you say il bravo. When speaking to a single woman, you say la brava. When speaking to a mixed-gender group, say fate I bravi, and when speaking to a group of women, say fate le brave.

There are also three forms of “you” in Italian. There is a singular informal (tu), singular formal (lei), and plural (voi).

Fai il/la bravo/a (Be good! — if you are speaking to one person that is your friend or family member.)

Fate i/le bravi/e (Be good! — if you are speaking to more than one person.)

Addio (Farewell)

Addio is intended for serious situations in which you will most likely never see the person with whom you are conversing again. Addio is a word similar to “farewell” in English.

Buona giornata/Buona serata (Have a nice day/Have a nice evening)

The most common way to say goodbye in Italian is to say buona giornata (good day) or buona serata (good night) (have a nice evening).

When deciding which salutation to use, keep the time of day in mind. You can say good morning if it is before 2:00 p.m. You say buona serata if it is after 2:00 p.m.

This is used in place of or in addition to arrivederci. For example, if you have bought something from the local grocery store, you may say upon exiting the store, “Grazie, buona giornata” (“Thank you, have a nice day”).

Conclusion

We understand it is difficult to speak Italian for beginners, but the correct words for goodbye will come naturally once you practice in real situations. Most Italian goodbyes take forever because they’re less about ending a conversation and more about maintaining connection.

Consult books, movies, and different Italian content to learn different phrases and their contextual use. For example, there are several ways to say I love you in Italian. All you are required to come up with the right phrase at the right time.

Practice these farewells with Italian teachers on italki, who give you real-time correction when you accidentally use ciao with strangers or say a presto to someone you won’t see for months. Italian lessons online connect you with native speakers who explain the cultural weight behind each goodbye.

Book a trial lesson today and join over 5 million learners who trust italki for language learning.