ILGUR: Italian Language, Grammar and Usage Resource

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One of the most commons questions that I receive each week are expressions and terms related to writing letters. It is important when communicating with Italian businesses that you try to be as formal as you can. Avoid using “tu” constructions (informal) with people that you don’t know. You will probably notice that even casual email questions to businesses in Italy will net you a very formal response. Try to be formal in your writing with strangers. This is a sign of respect and will be much appreciated.

The setting up of a letter or email should follow these guidelines:

• If your letter is not an email, make sure that the date you are writing the letter is the first line and then right justified. Typically, the location where you are writing precedes the date. Remember, in Italian (like most o the world), the date is written as:

  day month year

  2 giugno 2008

  Remember that the months in Italian are never capitalized. No comma separates the day and the month. There is also no comma between the month and the year. Don’t forget the location:

  Raleigh, NC (Stati Uniti) 2 giugno 2008

  If the city from which you are writing is a prominent one (such as New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC), there is no need to indicate the country. American and Australian readers might wish to include the country since many of our city and towns are named after those in the UK.

• In Italian, your salutation typically is part of the recipient’s address which proceeds the body of your letter. The salutation is not usually repeated again before the body of the email as it is in American/British letter writing.

  An exception to this is in an email, where you do not normally preface your emails in this way and thus would have to use a salutation. If you are not addressing a specific person or do not know who you should be address, then use the generic Spett. Ditta (Spettabile Ditta; translates as “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To whom it may concern”). However, if you are writing normal correspondence, follow this model:

  

• If you are addressing a specific person, be sure to include that person above the name of the company that you are writing. Be sure to include the title if you know it or use Egregio for masculine or Gentile for feminine:

  
  

• In Italian, titles are very important and should be used when known. Be sure to use them along with Egregio or Gentile. Take your cue from any correspondence to which you are replying.

  In Italian, abbreviations are typically avoided in the letter although acceptable for your envelope. Avoid abbreviations in emails, although since emails are considered less formal, this rule is not set in stone.

  Below are some common abbreviations and their respective titles:

  Avv. Avvocato
  Avv.ssa Avvocatessa*
  Dott. Dottore
  Dott.ssa Dottoressa**
  Geom. Geometra
  Ing. Ingegnere
  Prof. Professore
  Prof.ssa Professoresssa
  Rag. Ragioniere

*Avv. can and should generally be used for both men and women. Avoid Avvocatessa unless it is used by the personthemselves.

** Dott. can and should generally be used for both men and women. Avoid Dottoressa unless it is used by the person themselves

• After the title and name of the person you are addressing would next come the address. Again, if you’re writing an email, you would start simply with a salutation (and then include your address information at the end as part of your ‘signature’). In Italy, the street name comes first, followed by the number. On the next line would be the postal code (known as the CAP in Italy) followed by the city. Try to find the address on the web site or correspondence of the company to whom you are writing to make sure that you set the address up in the same way as the company.

• Since the opening salutation in Italian is placed in the header under the date along with the address, there is no need to repeat it. Simply begin your letter on the next line. In an email, it is best to start off with your salutation (Egregio Signore, Gentile Signora, Egregio Avvocato, etc.) and include your address information at the end with your “signature” – there is no need to repeat the name of the person, simply the opening salutation and their title.
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• In American letter writing, a colon follows the salutation of business letters or letters to people with whom you do not know personally. In Italy, a comma is used:

Egregio Signore,

Gentile Avvocato,

• When dealing with government officials, the opening salutation would simply state their title, leaving out the Egregio or Gentile. For example:

  

  Your salutation would simply be, Sua Ecellenza. There would be no need to use the name of the President of Italy if repeating your salutation. In formal letter writing, the salutation is typically not repeated. If you were to repeat the salutation, using the title on its own is enough to convey respect.

• The following closing salutations, in order from formal to less formal should be indented on a new line and ends with a period (not a comma, as in English letter writing):

  Con l’occasione porgo distinti saluti.
  In attesa di una vostra/sua risposta, ringrazio e rivolgo distinti saluti.
  Con stima.
  Vogliate/Voglia gradire l’espressione della mia stima.
  Distinti ossequi.
  Cordiali saluti.
  Con i miei migliori auguri.

  The signature, if you have the opportunity to sign your name, would justify to the right. Your address would follow beneath your name, but justified to the left. Remember, when writing emails, the justifications would play a lesser part – simply include the relative information, all justified to the left, as there can be no guarantee that your indentations and tabs would be received in the same manner:

  

• With emails and electronic communication, focus less on the exact placement and more on the content. Avoid placing the date in the body of your email unless the date you write the letter differs from the date in which you send it – which is probably rare. Begin your email with the proper salutation. Type your email. And then end with your name, postal address if necessary, a phone number might also be helpful if you wish a phone call, and a re-typing of your email address. Focus more on using formal forms of verbs. Avoid familiar constructions. If using commands, be sure to use the formal commands – these indicate stern requests but in a formal way. Using informal commands will seem rude and commanding and should definitely be avoided.

  Again, there’s no need to go through all the formal justifying that you would do in a written letter that you would physically sign. With emails, justifying everything to the left. As pointed out before, the styles you apply to your email may not be interpreted by the computer receiving your email in the same way in which you composed it.