Updated on November 7, 2023
The U.S. Thanksgiving holiday celebrates the harvest and blessings of the year. It’s a national holiday in the United States and one of the most beloved celebrations for many people. It brings families together and includes an amazing meal!
While Thanksgiving isn’t an official holiday in Italy, more and more Italians are joining in on the festivities with their American expat friends and family. Traditional Thanksgiving meals are given an Italian twist in home kitchens or restaurants.
If you’re invited to a Thanksgiving dinner in Italy, you’ll want to know how to greet your hosts. How do you say Happy Thanksgiving in Italian?” Read on to find out!
How To Say Happy Thanksgiving
In Italian, ‘Happy Thanksgiving’ is buona festa del ringraziamento.
It translates to ‘Happy Feast of Thanksgiving’ or ‘Happy Thanksgiving Holiday.’
Breaking it down:
buona – good
festa – feast or holiday
il ringraziamento – thanks or Thanksgiving
Putting it all together, you get ‘good holiday of thanks,’ or buona + festa + del (of the) ringraziamento.
Buona festa del ringraziamento!
The literal translation of Happy Thanksgiving is felice ringraziamento, but this isn’t used for the Thanksgiving holiday greeting.
Additional Ways To Say Happy Thanksgiving In Italian
While buona festa del ringraziamento is the most common expression used, you may also hear other phrases used.
| Italian | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| buon giorno del ringraziamento | happy day of thanksgiving | |
| buon ringraziamento | Happy Thanksgiving | |
| buon giorno del tacchino | Happy Turkey Day | |
| buona festa | Happy Holiday | |
| vi auguro un felice giorno del ringraziamento | I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving | |
| felice giorno del ringraziamento a tutti | Happy Thanksgiving to all | |
How To Say Happy Thanksgiving In Italian – Dad Joke
Q: How do you say “Happy Thanksgiving” in Italian?
A: “Happy Thanksgiving in Italian.”
Q: Come si dice “Happy Thanksgiving” in italiano?
A: “Happy Thanksgiving in italiano.”
When To Say Happy Thanksgiving To Someone In Italian
While Thanksgiving in the US is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month, in Italy it may also be celebrated on Saturday or Sunday after the official Thanksgiving holiday. Why? It isn’t an Italian holiday so adults will be at work and children will be at school on Thursday. The Thanksgiving meal requires a lot of preparation and the celebration may feel rushed on Thursday evening.
You should use your buona festa del ringraziamento greeting:
- When you arrive at someone’s house on Thanksgiving
- During the celebration (for example, to begin or end a toast)
- When you leave the Thanksgiving celebration
How To Reply To Someone Wishing You A Happy Thanksgiving in Italy
If someone wishes you a Buona Festa del Ringraziamento, you can reply with:
| Italian | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Grazie! | Thank you! | |
| Grazie, anche a te! | Thank you, and to you too! (one person) | |
| Grazie, anche a voi! | Thank you, and to you too! (more than one person) | |
| Grazie, anche a Lei! | Thank you, and to you too! (formal, one person) | |
| Grazie, altrettanto! | Thank you, same to you! | |
Italian Thanksgiving Helpful Words To Know
| Italian | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| i pellegrini | Pilgrims | |
| gli indigeni americani | Native Americans | |
| la barca | boat | |
| la Mayflower | the Mayflower | |
| il raccolto | harvest | |
| ringraziare | to give thanks | |
| il tacchino | turkey | |
| il ripieno | stuffing | |
| il purè | mashed potatoes | |
| il pane | bread | |
| il sugo dell’arrosto | gravy | |
| i mirtilli rossi | cranberries | |
| la torta di zucca | pumpkin pie |
How To Say Happy Thanksgiving In Italian & Other Languages Spoken In Italy
- Italian – buon giorno del ringraziamento
- German – fröliches Thanksgiving (not the same as the German harvest festival of Erntedankfest)
- French – joyeux action de graces
- Sicilian – bona festa del ringraziamento
- Arbëresh – urime festën e haristisurit
Quotes About Gratitude In Italian
What Sound Does A Turkey Make In Italian?
You might be surprised to know that Italian turkeys don’t say, “gobble, gobble.” Instead, they say, “glu, glu.”
Now you’re ready for your Thanksgiving celebration! Buona festa del ringraziamento!
Want to learn holiday greetings in Italian? Check out our posts:
How to Say Happy New Year in Italian
How to Say Happy Valentine’s Day in Italian
La Festa della Donna – How Italy Celebrates International Women’s Day
Buon Ferragosto
How to Say Happy Thanksgiving in Italian
How to Say Merry Christmas in Italian
How to Wish Someone Happy Birthday in Italian
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Happy Thanksgiving in Italian FAQ
In the Italian language, the adjective’s gender must match the noun’s gender. The noun here is feminine (festa), so our adjective must also be feminine (buona). Italian feminine adjectives usually end in ‘a’ and sometimes end in ‘e.’ Masculine adjectives usually end in ‘o’ or no vowel, and sometimes end in ‘e.’
If another example, buon anno (Happy New Year), the noun is masculine (anno) so the adjective must also be masculine (here we use ‘buon‘ instead of ‘buona‘).
