Many new learners assume buona notte (“good night” in Italian) is a casual nighttime…
Many new learners assume buona notte (“good night” in Italian) is a casual nighttime “Hello!” After all, it looks like other Italian greetings, like buongiorno (“good morning” in Italian) or buonasera (good evening).
But that’s not quite how Italians use it. Italian grammar can be tricky sometimes, and saying “good night” in Italy when you arrive at a restaurant or meet friends in the late evening can leave people genuinely confused. Master these nine ways to say “good night” in Italy to avoid a faux pas.
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How do you say “good night” in Italian: 9 phrases you’ll hear
Take a look at when to say buona notte (not bella notte) and other lovely ways to wish someone a good night in Italian.
Buona notte/buonanotte
Buona notte or buonanotte is the most popular way to say “good night” in Italian. It breaks down as two words:
- buona = good
- notte = night
Buona notte replaces “have a good night”, not “hello,” so say it only to someone who is going to sleep or when you’re leaving a place at night and heading home to rest.
- Buonanotte, amore mio. = Good night, my love.
- Io vado, ragazzi. Buona notte. = I’m off, guys. Good night.
Notte
Italians often shorten buona notte to just notte (night), especially among friends or family. It’s quick but still polite.
- Vado a letto adesso. = I’m going to bed now.
- Okay, notte! = Okay, night!
Sogni d’oro
Literally “golden dreams,” this phrase is like saying “sweet dreams” in English. It’s an endearing way to wish goodnight to partners, children, or close friends.
- Sogni d’oro, tesoro. = Sweet dreams, darling.
- Ti mando un bacio. Sogni d’oro! = Sending you a kiss. Sweet dreams!
Dormi bene
Dormi bene means “sleep well.” You can use it on its own or add it after buona notte.
- Buona notte e dormi bene. = Good night and sleep well.
- Dormi bene, ci sentiamo quando ti svegli! = Sleep well, I’ll talk to you when you wake up!
Riposati
Riposati is the imperative of the riposare (to rest). It’s a great way to say “good night” to someone who’s had a long, rough day.
- Che giornata! Riposati. = What a day! Rest up.
A domani
Simple and super common: a domani means “see you tomorrow.” You can pair it with other goodnight phrases or say it on its own when you say goodbye.
- Buonanotte, a domani! = Good night, see you tomorrow!
- Spengo tutto. A domani. = I’m logging off. See you tomorrow.
Dare/mandare/augurare la buonanotte
When buonanotte works as a noun, it’s often paired with the Italian verbs dare (to give), mandare (to send), or augurare (to wish). In this case, you’re talking about the act of saying “goodnight.”
- Vai a dare la buonanotte* alla nonna. = Go say good night to grandma.
- Ti mando la buonanotte. A domani. = I’ll send you a good night. See you tomorrow.
*Always write buonanotte as one word when it’s a noun.
Vado a letto/Vado a dormire
Both sentences mean you’re going to sleep.
- Hai sonno? = Are you sleepy?
- Sì, vado a letto. = Yeah, I’m going to bed.
- Sì, vado a dormire. = Yeah, I’m going to sleep.
È ora di andare a letto
Every Italian mom has said this at least once: È ora di andare a letto means “it’s bedtime.” You might also tell it to yourself when it’s getting late.
- Si è fatto tardi, è ora di andare a letto. = It’s getting late, it’s time to go to bed
Buona notte (good night) vs. buona sera (good evening)
Since buona notte (good night) is only used as the last goodbye of the day, if you bump into a neighbor during your after-dinner passeggiata (walk), the right way to greet them is buona sera (good evening).
Buona sera is the formal greeting from around 5-6 PM until late at night. Italians use it as a formal “hello” in the afternoon, evening, and night. In casual settings, like running into a friend, go with ciao (hi), hey (which everyone understands), or even uè, a friendly “hi” used in many Southern Italian dialects (if you’re feeling confident enough to try it!)
Other expressions like buonanotte
You might wonder why bella notte (wonderful night) isn’t on the list of ways to say “good night” in Italian? Let’s see this expression and how buona notte pops up in a few Italian idioms.
Bella notte
Even though the Lady and the Tramp song made bella notte famous among English speakers, it’s simply the literal translation of “beautiful night.” While it sounds poetic, Italians don’t use it in real conversation and definitely not as a greeting.
That said, you can pair the adjective bella (beautiful) with notte (night) in descriptive sentences:
- La notte è bella. = The night is beautiful.
- Che bella notte stellata! = What a beautiful starry night!
Buonanotte al secchio
The idiom buonanotte al secchio means “good night to the bucket.” It’s a colorful way of saying “that’s it,” or “we’re done,” when you give up in frustration.
- Se perdiamo anche questo cliente, buonanotte al secchio! = If we lose this client too, that’s it: game over!
You’ll often hear it shortened to buonanotte as a kind of ironic or frustrated exclamation when someone isn’t listening, or when a situation is hopeless.
- Cosa hai detto? = What did you say again?
- Eeeeh, buonanotte! = Oh, forget it!
Buonanotte ai suonatori
Another common expression is buonanotte ai suonatori, literally “good night to the musicians.” It means something’s over, often with a hint of sarcasm or disappointment.
- Basta, vendo tutto e buonanotte ai suonatori. = That’s it, I’m selling everything: end of the line.
Don’t stop here! Mastering tricky expressions like buona notte is easy with Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method. You’ll learn Italian through bite-sized lessons and real-life examples, focusing on context and culture.
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