The Italian buongiorno is suitable for nearly any social occasion where you meet someone, whether that be your new boss at work or your Italian aunties. Rules regulating the use of Italian greetings are largely unwritten and may vary from region to region. 'Buonasera' is arguably one of the most confusing Italian greetings as people around the country often use it at different times. Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFPIn most cases, then, the best way to get the buonasera greeting right is to pay attention to local customs and stick with those. AdvertisementSalveSalve is arguably the most formal Italian greeting and comes straight from Latin, where it means ‘be in good health’.