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I apologize if the question is confusing- I am completely new to the Italian language and need this for a story I am writing.

I have two male characters who have just met, and one is attempting to flirt with the other on first greeting. In that circumstance, would the man most likely say something along the lines of, "Hey, amico," or "Hey, bello"? I am attempting to create a kind of "Hey, cutie," kind of vibe, for lack of better words.

Again, if my word usage is completely wrong, please correct me!

Thank you!

DaG
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L Fischer
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    Of the two I'd say Hey, bello (lit. hello, beautiful). Hey, amico means Hey, friend and has no flirty connotation. I think there might be some better option, maybe Hey, carino (this is possibly a bit too flirty) – Denis Nardin Feb 24 '17 at 00:48
  • The LGBT community might have its own slang, BTW, nowadays "amico" is used ironically in Italy and for a reason: if one is an actual friend, you use his birth name; if he is not you use Sir, Mr., "Excuse me" and the likes. So you use "Hey amico" when what follows is intended to be unpleasant. – antonio Feb 24 '17 at 01:42
  • @antonio: In Italian is quite rare to use “Sir”, “Mr.”, “Excuse me” and so on, but we sometimes use signore, scusi and so on. – DaG Feb 24 '17 at 08:38
  • Amico to address someone is something that nowadays is done only in films or by foreigners. – DaG Feb 24 '17 at 08:39
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    Ciao bello and ciao caro, are two common expressions that friends or also collegues use on a confidential basis. There is no romantic or sexual connotation. Context is everything as usual. –  Feb 24 '17 at 09:18
  • In which part of Italy you have heard this sentence? – Joe Taras Feb 24 '17 at 09:40
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    To go on a tangent: in Italian there is no such word as “hey”. The analogous exclamation is ehi. – DaG Feb 24 '17 at 10:40
  • @DaG: Sir/Madam, Mr/Ms, are simply the Italian equivalent for Signore/a. Signore, desidera un drink? -> Would you like a drink, Sir?
    Signor Rossi, desidera un drink? -> Would you like a drink, Mr. Rossi? In Italy, it is very impolite to address someone (and particularly a woman), using just the Sur/name without using these polite forms or the professional title, unless he or she is a friend or is quite young.     – antonio Feb 24 '17 at 11:03
  • @antonio, sei italiano? “Sir/Madam, Mr/Ms” non sono l'equivalente italiano di “Signore/a”, semmai il contrario, ma con tante e tali sfumature e distinzioni che non è possibile dare una corrispondenza uno a uno. Quindi, se vuoi spiegare quali appellativi si usano in italiano, dilli in italiano, sennò sembra che in italiano diciamo “Sir” alla gente, e tieni anche presente quello che è stato detto qui. – DaG Feb 24 '17 at 11:36
  • @antonio La mia impressione (vivendo in un paese anglofono) è che "Sir/Madam" siano l'equivalente di "dare del lei" in inglese. Per esempio Excuse me, sir/madam? è l'equivalente di Mi scusi?. Ci sono poi sfumature di significato che dipendono dall'aggiungere o meno il cognome dopo l'epiteto e da dove si mettono le virgole, ma sono troppo esoteriche per me. – Denis Nardin Feb 24 '17 at 19:32

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In Italian, you don't have a direct translation for these kinds of stuff that wouldn't sound awkward...

Let's try to sort things out: 

1. Ciao bello
2. Ciao carino 
3. Ciao bellezza
4. Ciao amico
5. Ciao tesoro

The first expression may be used to flirt 

Ciao bello/a cosa fai stasera?

The 2nd expression, carino would be translated as cutie and it's usually used if you have confidence with the other person

The 3rd one is (basically) always used with females (when you approach them and still want to create a "sexy" atmosphere)

Ciao amico

Means literally Hi friend

The 5th one is used when you have a higher confidence with the person you are talking to...

Very used by couples.

Edoardo
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Albert
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  • We're talking about a man being flirtatious with another man. Any of your examples except Ciao amico could be appropriate as a (trivial and a bit cheesy) pick-up line. I guess Ciao tesoro is acceptable too, in a kind of ironic way, even if they don't know each other. I wouldn't mind about bellezza being usually reserved to women, words of affection perceived as "gendered" among straight people are used in a very different way in a gay context as far as I know. – Mauro Vanetti Sep 05 '17 at 12:00