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1.1 Grammatica

Greetings and Introductions

SALUTI E PRESENTAZIONI

Basic greetings

Ciao (Hello / Goodbye) used only in informal situations

Buongiorno (Good morning)
Buonasera (Good evening)
used in formal and informal situations
Buonanotte (Good night)

Arrivederci (Goodbye) used in formal and informal situations
ArrivederLa (Goodbye) used only in formal situations

A domani (See you tomorrow)
used in formal and informal situations
A presto (See you soon)

Ci vediamo (See you) used only in informal situations

Say who you are and ask someones name

To state your name in Italian say:

Mi chiamo
or
Sono

Buongiorno, mi chiamo Mirella
Good morning, my name is Mirella
Sacchi.
Sacchi.
Piacere. Sono Gianni Rossi.
Nice to meet you. I am Gianni Rossi.

When you say Mi chiamo you are literally saying I call myself
Sono literally means I am. You may add the subject pronoun Io (I) for emphasis:

Io mi chiamo Gianni Rossi.
Io sono Gianni Rossi.


To ask for someones name you say:

(a) Come si chiama? or (b) Come ti chiami?

Question (a) is formal and question (b) is informal.
You should use the formal address with people you dont know well or people you
know well but to whom you owe respect or who are your superiors (i.e. a professor,
your boss, anyone in a position of authority).

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You should use the informal address with your friends and relatives and with
children. Young people are informal among themselves even if they dont know each
other well. Older people may be formal among themselves even if they have known
each other for many years.

The subject pronoun used to address someone formally is Lei (generally
capitalized). The subject pronoun used to address someone informally is tu. Subject
pronouns are used generally only for emphasis or to avoid misunderstandings.

Tu come ti chiami? or Come ti chiami?
Lei come si chiama? or Come si chiama?

In formal situations, you address someone by her/his last name preceded by the
following:


Signor
Mr.

Signora
Mrs. / Ms.

Signorina
Miss

Dottore
Doctor (male)

Dottoressa
Doctor (female)

Professore
Professor (male)

Professoressa
Professor (female)


Heres an example of a formal exchange:

Signora Sacchi: Buonasera, mi chiamo Marta Sacchi. E Lei come si chiama?
Good evening, my name is Marta Sacchi. And what is your name?

Signor Conti: Buongiorno, signora Sacchi. Mi chiamo Michele Conti.

Good morning, Mrs. Sacchi. My name is Michele Conti?

Signora Sacchi: Piacere, signor Conti!

Pleased to meet you, Mr. Conti!

Signor Conti: Molto piacere!

Very pleased to meet you!

Signora Sacchi: ArrivederLa.

Goodbye

Signor Conti: ArrivederLa.

Goodbye

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Heres an example of an informal exchange:

Gianni: Ciao, mi chiamo Gianni, e tu?
Hello, my name is Gianni, and yours?

Mirella: Sono Mirella. Piacere, Gianni.
I am Mirella. Pleased to meet you, Gianni.

Gianni: Molto piacere!
Very pleased to meet you!

Mirella: Arrivederci.
Goodbye

Gianni: Ciao, Mirella!
Goodbye, Mirella!

Say how you are: formal and informal ways

To ask How are you? Italians use the verb stare, which literally means to stay.


Come stai?
How are you (s.)? (informal)

Come sta?
How are you (s.)? (formal)

Come va?
How is it going? (informal)

Possible answers are:


Sto molto bene.
I am very well.

Molto bene.
Very well.


Sto bene.
I am fine.

Bene.
Fine.

Sto abbastanza bene. I am quite well.

Abbastanza bene.
Quite well.

Cos cos.
So so.

Non c male.
Not bad.

Heres is a sample of a mixed conversation (formal and informal):

Buongiorno, professoressa Verdi, come
Good morning, Professor Verdi, how are
sta?
you?
Molto bene, grazie. E tu, Emilia, come
Very well, thank you. And you, Emilia,
stai?
how are you?
Bene, grazie.
Fine, thank you.
Ciao, Emilia, a presto.
Bye, Emilia, see you soon.
ArrivederLa, professoressa Verdi!
Goodbye, Professor Verdi.

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Heres a sample of an informal conversation:

Ciao, Giovanna, come va?
Hi, Giovanna, how is it going?
Non c male, grazie, e tu come
Not bad, thank you, and how are
stai?
you?
Abbastanza bene, grazie.
Quite well, thank you.
Ora devo andare.
Now I must go.
Ci vediamo, Giovanna.
See you, Giovanna.
A domani, Renata!
See you tomorrow, Renata!