Say and understand... click the triangle to hear part1>

-greet someone you don’t know:

Buongiorno (or) buonasera   /   signora (or) signorina

Buongiorno (or) buonasera   / (signore is used less often than signora or signorina)

 

-greet someone you know:

Ciao (or) buongiorno (or) buonasera

-ask someone their name:

Come si chiama?

 

-introduce yourself:

Mi chiamo Gianna

Sono Gianna

- ask someone you don’t know where they are from, or where they live:

Di dov'è?

Dove abita?

-ask someone you are familiar with where they are from:

Di dove sei?

- say where you are from or where you live:

Sono di Portland.

Abito a Portland.

- to introduce someone to somebody else, use questo for a man and questa for a woman:

Questo è Dario. - This is Dario. (masculine)

Questa è Marcella. - This is Marcella. (feminine)

 

- say “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Piacere.

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click the triangle to listen>

- ask someone you don’t know how they are:

Come sta?

 

- ask someone you know how they are or how it’s going:

Come stai?

Come va?

 

- say how you are, or how it’s going:

Sto bene.   (I’m well)

Molto bene. (very well)

Va bene.  (It’s going well)

 

-after you have told them how you are, ask them how they are:

E Lei? (formal)

E tu? (familiar)

 

- say good-bye to someone (formal)

Arrivederci (to one or more people)

Buonanotte (in the evening, or at bed time)

Buongiorno. (before noon)

Buonasera (after noon)

Arrivederla (to one person, very formal)

 

- say good-bye to someone (familiar)

Ciao. (any time)

Arrivederci (to one or more people)

Buonanotte (in the evening, or at bed time)

Buongiorno. (before noon)

Buonasera (after noon)

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