Ways To Say Good Evening In Italian

Do you want to learn how to say good evening in Italian in less than ten minutes?

Although the specifics of Italian greetings may seem daunting at first, you need not worry. Most first-time speakers of a language eventually become comfortable with them.

Indeed, you probably know more than a few Italian words, and not just those pertaining to food. You’ve probably heard or even said: “arrivederci” (goodbye) or “molto bene” (very well) hundreds of times.

Additionally, if you are fluent in another Latin-based “romance language,” such as Spanish or French, you will find that learning Italian is much easier.

So, how does one say”Good Evening” in Italian? Check out our guide to find out!

Ways To Say Good Evening In Italian

Check out these articles for more Italian vocabularies:

Buonasera

To say good night in Italian, you should use this standard greeting. Of course, you wouldn’t say “Buona sera” first thing in the morning, but the actual time of day Italians use the term is a bit contentious and often leads to confusion. Here’s an easy rule, though: say Buona sera after 5 o’clock.

Buonasera can be used to mean both “good afternoon” and “good evening,” so it is not uncommon to hear it after noon in the southern regions of Italy.

It’s possible that northern Italians would keep saying “buongiorno” well into the afternoon.

Thus, even if you say “buongiorno” and someone replies Buona sera,” neither of these is necessarily a big deal. Just smile and wait for the other person to greet you; then, if you’d like, you can return the favor.

Who to Say Buonasera To

When greeting someone in the late afternoon or early evening, Buona sera” is an appropriate greeting. It’s applicable for use with anyone from close friends and relatives to strangers and even children.

Some of the people you should wish Buona sera” to while in Italy are:

agents who help you book flights or rent cars
bartenders who serve you a drink
museum guides
shopkeepers
Taxi drivers
friends and family who will be joining you on your trip
People you’re making phone calls to (to make reservations, say hello, ask a question)

You will hear Buona sera” in a variety of settings, including the following:

When friends get together for the evening:

Buonasera! Come state? – Good evening! How are you?

While at a concert/performance or a formal event:

Buonasera signori. Benvenuti! – Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome!

While shopping:

Buonasera, posso aiutarLa? – Good afternoon, can I help you?

Note that since “Buonasera” is considered to be a (semi-)formal greeting, it is not customary to kiss someone on the cheek when saying it.

Alternatives to Buonasera

You might hear “bonsoir” (which is French) or “guten abend” (which is German) in certain regions of northern Italy that border either France or Germany (German).

In more informal settings, you might want to use the greeting ciao instead of hello.

Buonasera vs. Buona Serata

Check out these articles for more Italian vocabularies:

You may hear people say buona serata during the evening. It is customarily used as a farewell phrase and translates to “have a good evening.”

In contrast to the use of buonasera, which can be either a greeting or a farewell, buona serata is exclusively reserved for when one person is parting ways with another.

Ti auguro una buona serata! – I wish you a nice evening! (informal)
Le auguro una buona serata! – I wish you a nice evening! (formal)
Vi auguro una buona serata! – I wish you a nice evening! (plural)
Ti / Le / Vi auguro di passare una buona serata! – I hope that you spend a good evening! (literal translation/meaning)

More About Buona serata

Wishing someone a good evening over the phone can also be done with the phrase “buona serata.”

When you say “Buona serata” to a friend, it’s acceptable to kiss them on the cheek.

How to Respond to Buonasera

Knowing how to return a friendly Italian greeting is an important part of mastering the language.

What do you say in return when someone wishes you a “buonasera”?

The phrase “anche a te,” which means “you too,” is usually all that is needed to complete the sentence. Therefore, the standard reply is “Buonasera anche a te” (or “Buonasera anche a lei” in more formal contexts).

Buonasera, anche a te! – Good evening to you too!

Anche a lei! – Good evening to you too! (formal)

When to NOT Say Buonasera

When you are getting ready to go to bed, you should not say “buonasera.” Instead, you should wish someone “buonanotte,” which means good night in Italian.

Ways To Say Good Evening In Italian

Ways To Say Good Evening In Italian