Italian word of the day: 'Salute'
Here's to your health!
If you ever hear the word salute used in Italy, it's not in reference to Mussolini supporters trying to revive the fascist salute (that would be a saluto); instead it means 'health' or 'wellbeing'.
Mi dispiace di non essere riuscita a venire alla vostra festa la settimana scorsa, ho avuto problemi di salute.
Sorry I couldn't make it to your party last week, I was having health problems.
Mangiare frutta e verdura tutti i giorni fa bene alla salute.
It's good for your health to eat fruits and vegetables every day.
It's also something you say can as an alternative to cin cin when drinking a toast with your friends - (drinking to their health, in other words).
Salute, ragazzi!
Cheers, everyone!
Tanta salute a tutti!
Good health to all!
Similarly, you can also say it to someone after they've sneezed - the Italian for 'bless you!'
- A-CHOO
- Salute!
- A-CHOO
- Bless you!
Unlike the French salut, it's not used as a general greeting (for that you'd want salve or just ciao), but the verb salutare does in fact meant to go and greet/ say hi to someone.
Andiamo a salutare Laura.
Let's go and say hi to Laura.
Passeremo a salutarvi dopo il lavoro.
We'll stop by and say hi after work.
Do you have an Italian word you’d like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.
Make sure you don’t miss any of our Italian words and expressions of the day: download our new app (available on Apple and Android) and then selecting the Italian Word of the Day in your Notification options via the User button.
Comments
See Also
If you ever hear the word salute used in Italy, it's not in reference to Mussolini supporters trying to revive the fascist salute (that would be a saluto); instead it means 'health' or 'wellbeing'.
Mi dispiace di non essere riuscita a venire alla vostra festa la settimana scorsa, ho avuto problemi di salute.
Sorry I couldn't make it to your party last week, I was having health problems.
Mangiare frutta e verdura tutti i giorni fa bene alla salute.
It's good for your health to eat fruits and vegetables every day.
It's also something you say can as an alternative to cin cin when drinking a toast with your friends - (drinking to their health, in other words).
Salute, ragazzi!
Cheers, everyone!
Tanta salute a tutti!
Good health to all!
Similarly, you can also say it to someone after they've sneezed - the Italian for 'bless you!'
- A-CHOO
- Salute!
- A-CHOO
- Bless you!
Unlike the French salut, it's not used as a general greeting (for that you'd want salve or just ciao), but the verb salutare does in fact meant to go and greet/ say hi to someone.
Andiamo a salutare Laura.
Let's go and say hi to Laura.
Passeremo a salutarvi dopo il lavoro.
We'll stop by and say hi after work.
Do you have an Italian word you’d like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.
Make sure you don’t miss any of our Italian words and expressions of the day: download our new app (available on Apple and Android) and then selecting the Italian Word of the Day in your Notification options via the User button.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.