The word CIAO (pronounced CHOW) It can mean “hello” and “goodbye".
But did you know that it is a word that comes from the Venetian dialect? It was the greeting that the slaves were saying to their owners.They word was: s-ciào vostro” that means “I am your slave”.“ Over time, the phrase was abbreviated to simply s-ciào, while retaining the same meaning.
Because of this history you’ll find especially with older generations that CIAO isn’t an innocuous greeting to be thrown around to anyone you meet. So if you want to offer a polite greeting to a shop owner, a waiter, or just someone you pass in the street, here are some alternatives.
My favorite is Salve, (pronounced SAL|veh) .You can greet someone with salve day or night but it only works for “hello.”
Buongiorno (pronounced bwon|JOR|no “good day,”
Buona sera – pronounced bwon|ah SEH|rah. “good evening",
Arrivederci – (pronounced ah|ree|veh|DEHR|chee) only means “goodbye,”
If you want to get really fancy with your time-of-day greetings, pull a "Buon Pomeriggio" It’s “Good Afternoon,” used roughly from after lunch until evening. This one also works as a “hello” and “goodbye.” It’s pronounced bwon pom|eh|REE|jo.
From Venice With Love,
Giada
#giadavalenti #PBS #FromVeniceWithLove #GVTour #Venice #FunFacts
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