Saying Casual Goodbyes in Italian: 'Ci vediamo' and Other Relaxed Farewells
Learn relaxed Italian farewells like Ci vediamo and Ci sentiamo, and practise leaving a gathering politely without sounding formal or abrupt.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In Italian, how you say goodbye changes with the situation. A formal parting uses words like arrivederci or arrivederla, but among friends, family and colleagues you know well, people usually choose shorter, warmer expressions that often include a plan to meet again. This lesson teaches those casual farewells and shows you how to leave a gathering politely: thanking your host, naming the next contact, and walking out without awkward silence. You will practise complete phrases, not isolated words, so you can use them immediately.
By the end, you can…
- say a casual goodbye to friends using Ci vediamo and Ci sentiamo.
- politely announce that I am leaving a gathering and thank my host.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ci vediamo!
See you! / See you later!
chee veh-DYAH-mo
The standard relaxed goodbye among friends and acquaintances. Literally 'we see each other', so it implies a future meeting.
Ci sentiamo!
Let's be in touch! / Catch you soon!
chee sen-TYAH-mo
Used when you will communicate by phone or message rather than meet in person soon. Very common at the end of a phone call or a casual evening.
A dopo!
See you later!
ah DOH-poh
Said when you expect to see the person again the same day, for example leaving work for lunch.
A domani!
See you tomorrow!
ah doh-MAH-nee
A friendly, specific goodbye when you already know you will meet the next day.
Allora, io vado. Grazie di tutto!
Well, I'm off. Thanks for everything!
ahl-LOH-rah, EE-oh VAH-doh. GRAH-tsyeh dee TOOT-toh
A polite way to announce your departure at a gathering while thanking the host. 'Io vado' literally means 'I go', but functions as 'I'm leaving now'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Many casual Italian goodbyes are built with ci plus a verb: ci vediamo (we see each other), ci sentiamo (we hear each other), ci risentiamo (we hear each other again). The ci here means 'each other', and the verb is in the present tense with a future meaning. You can make the plan more specific by adding a time: Ci vediamo domani (See you tomorrow), Ci vediamo alle otto (See you at eight). To soften the goodbye, add a short warm phrase before it: Dai, ci sentiamo presto (Come on, let's talk soon).
When to use it
Use these relaxed farewells with friends, relatives, classmates and colleagues you address with tu. With strangers, older people, or in shops and offices, keep the formal arrivederci or arrivederla. When leaving a gathering, it is normal to say a brief goodbye to the host before the general one: Grazie, è stata una bella serata (Thank you, it was a lovely evening), then Allora, io vado. Ci vediamo! If you are in a group, you can also say Ragazzi, io vado, ci vediamo! (Guys, I'm off, see you!).
Regional and register notes
Ci vediamo is understood everywhere and is the safest casual choice. In much of central and southern Italy you will also hear Ci vediamo dopo or the very informal Ci si vede. In Tuscany, people often say Ci si sente or Ci si vede, using the impersonal si instead of ci. A very colloquial northern form is Ciao, ci vediamo, while in informal speech some speakers shorten ciao to 'iao in writing only. Avoid these shortened forms in writing to people you do not know well.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Allora, io vado. Grazie della cena, è stata bellissima!
Well, I'm off. Thanks for dinner, it was lovely!ahl-LOH-rah, EE-oh VAH-doh. GRAH-tsyeh DEL-lah CHEH-nah, eh STAH-tah bel-LEES-see-mahGrazie a te per essere venuto! Ci sentiamo presto, eh?
Thanks to you for coming! Let's talk soon, okay?GRAH-tsyeh ah teh pehr ES-seh-reh veh-NOO-toh. chee sen-TYAH-mo PREH-stoh, ehCerto! Ci vediamo la settimana prossima. A presto!
Of course! See you next week. See you soon!CHEHR-toh. chee veh-DYAH-mo lah set-tee-MAH-nah PROHS-see-mah. ah PREH-stohA presto! Buona serata!
See you soon! Have a good evening!ah PREH-stoh. BWOH-nah seh-RAH-tahA little context goes a long way
Italians often treat the goodbye as a small social ritual rather than a quick exit. Announcing that you are leaving with Allora, io vado is considered polite, while slipping away without a word can seem rude. At the same time, a casual Ci vediamo does not commit you to a precise date; it simply keeps the relationship warm. If you want to make a real plan, add a specific time: Ci vediamo venerdì alle sette.
One thing to watch for
Using arrivederci with close friends because it is the first goodbye word you learned.
Try this instead: Arrivederci is correct but formal and distant with friends. Use Ci vediamo or Ci sentiamo instead: Ciao ragazzi, ci vediamo domani! Keep arrivederci for people you address with lei, such as a doctor or a shop assistant.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are leaving a friend's birthday party and will see them again next week. What casual goodbye fits best?
Show a sample answer
Ci vediamo la settimana prossima!
Ci vediamo expresses a future meeting, and adding la settimana prossima makes the plan specific. Ci sentiamo would also be acceptable if you plan to message rather than meet.
2You are ending a phone call with a friend and have no fixed plan. Which phrase is natural?
Show a sample answer
Ci sentiamo presto!
Ci sentiamo is used for contact by phone or message, and presto keeps it warm and open. Ci vediamo would suggest an in-person meeting, which is less precise here.
3You want to announce politely that you are leaving a dinner party. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Allora, io vado. Grazie di tutto!
Io vado signals your departure clearly, and Grazie di tutto thanks the host. Grazie della serata or Grazie della cena are equally valid alternatives.
For casual goodbyes, choose Ci vediamo or Ci sentiamo, add a time if you have a real plan, and announce your exit with Allora, io vado plus a thank-you. Save arrivederci for formal situations.
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