What’s the difference between "Buonasera" and "Buonanotte"?

Question

In Italian, there are different greetings for the evening and night.

Do you know when to use "Buonasera" versus "Buonanotte"?

It can be confusing, as they both seem to refer to the evening, but they are used in different contexts.

Answer 1

"Buonasera" is used as a greeting in the evening, typically from around 4:00 PM until nightfall. It’s a polite way to say “Good evening” when you first meet someone during the evening hours.

"Buonanotte" is used when you’re saying goodbye at night, typically before going to bed. It’s not a greeting, but rather a way of wishing someone a good night’s rest.

Answer 2

'Buonasera' (good evening) is a greeting used in the evening, while 'buonanotte' (good night) is used when someone is going to bed. 'Buonasera' is used to say 'hello' after around 4 PM while 'buonanotte' is used to say 'goodbye'/'goodnight.'