How to Say Congratulations in Italian: 15+ Expressions for Every Occasion

The Short Answer

The most common way to say congratulations in Italian is Complimenti! (kohm-plee-MEHN-tee). It works for achievements, accomplishments, and praise in almost any context. But Italian has a richer system of celebratory expressions than English, and choosing the right one signals genuine cultural fluency.

Italian is spoken by approximately 68 million native speakers worldwide, according to Ethnologue's 2024 data. Across Italy and Italian-speaking communities in Switzerland, San Marino, and beyond, the way you congratulate someone reveals whether you understand the subtle but important distinction between praising an achievement (Complimenti), offering wishes (Auguri), and applauding a performance (Bravo).

"Language is not simply a tool for communication, it is a system of cultural practices that organizes and shapes social reality."

(Claire Kramsch, Language and Culture, Oxford University Press)

This guide covers 15+ Italian congratulatory expressions organized by category: standard, warm and celebratory, formal, casual, and occasion-specific. Each includes pronunciation, an example sentence, and cultural context so you know exactly when to use it.

Quick Reference: Italian Congratulations at a Glance

Standard Congratulations

These are the go-to expressions for congratulating someone on an achievement. The Accademia della Crusca, Italy's oldest linguistic authority founded in 1583, notes that complimenti has served as the primary congratulatory word in Italian for centuries.

Complimenti!

Complimenti is the word Italians reach for instinctively when someone shares good news about an achievement. It literally means "compliments" and carries a warmer, more personal tone than the English "congratulations." You are not just acknowledging the milestone, you are actively praising the person's effort.

This is the word you will hear most in daily Italian life. A friend passes their driving test? Complimenti! A colleague finishes a big project? Complimenti! It pairs naturally with per (for) to specify the achievement: Complimenti per il nuovo lavoro! (Congratulations on the new job!).

Congratulazioni!

While Congratulazioni is a direct cognate of the English "congratulations," Italians use it more sparingly than English speakers use their version. It is reserved for the big moments, a university graduation (laurea), a wedding, a major career achievement. According to Treccani, Italy's leading encyclopedia and dictionary, Congratulazioni carries a ceremonial weight that Complimenti does not.

Warm and Celebratory Expressions

Italian culture is famously expressive, and these phrases reflect that warmth. Italians do not just acknowledge good news, they celebrate it with enthusiasm.

Auguri!

Auguri is one of the most versatile and uniquely Italian words you will encounter. It literally means "wishes" (from the Latin augur, a Roman priest who interpreted omens). Italians use it for birthdays (Tanti auguri!), Christmas (Auguri di Buon Natale!), Easter, namedays, weddings, and New Year's.

The critical distinction: Auguri is forward-looking, it expresses hopes and wishes for someone's future. Complimenti is backward-looking, it praises something already accomplished. You say Auguri! at a wedding because you are wishing the couple future happiness. You say Complimenti! when someone tells you they got promoted because you are praising what they already achieved.

Bravo!

English speakers know Bravo from opera houses and award ceremonies. But in Italian, it is an everyday word used far beyond the stage. Parents say it to children who do well in school. Friends say it to each other after a good meal someone cooked. Coaches say it to athletes.

The crucial difference from English: in Italian, Bravo has four forms. This is one of the clearest markers of whether someone truly speaks Italian or is just borrowing the word.

Using the wrong form is not a catastrophic error. Italians will understand you. But using the correct form, especially Brava when complimenting a woman, immediately signals respect and linguistic awareness.

Brava!

This is not a separate word, it is the feminine form of Bravo. But it deserves its own entry because getting this right matters. The Società Dante Alighieri, Italy's premier institution for promoting Italian language and culture worldwide, emphasizes that gender agreement in adjectives like bravo/brava is fundamental to natural-sounding Italian.

Formal Congratulations

For official settings, written correspondence, or when you want to add gravitas to your congratulations. These are what you would use in a speech, a formal letter, or a high-level business context.

I miei più sinceri complimenti

This phrase elevates Complimenti to its most refined form. You might hear it from a university rector at a graduation ceremony, a CEO addressing an employee, or a politician at a public event. The structure follows a classic Italian pattern: possessive + superlative + adjective + noun.

Vivissime congratulazioni

Vivissime is a superlative form meaning "most vivid" or "most heartfelt." This phrase appears in formal Italian correspondence, official university announcements, and ceremonial contexts. It is beautifully Italian in its expressiveness, even the formal register carries emotional warmth.

Casual and Slang Expressions

Among friends and in relaxed settings, Italians often skip the traditional congratulatory words entirely in favor of enthusiastic exclamations.

Grande!

Grande is the Italian equivalent of saying "You legend!" or "Awesome!" to a friend. It is short, punchy, and packed with enthusiasm. Italian soccer fans shout it constantly: Grande, campione! (Great, champion!). You will hear it in virtually every Italian film with a celebration scene.

Bene!

Simple, warm, and encouraging. Bene! on its own works as a quick "good job!" response. Doubling it (Bene, bene!) adds emphasis, like saying "good, good!" with an approving nod. It is particularly common from parents, teachers, and mentors.

In gamba!

This uniquely Italian idiom literally means "on the leg" but translates to "capable" or "sharp." Saying Sei in gamba! (You're really capable!) is one of the highest casual compliments in Italian. It implies not just success but cleverness and competence behind the success. According to Treccani, the expression dates back to the idea of someone standing firmly on their own legs, self-reliant and strong.

Occasion-Specific Expressions

Italian has tailored congratulatory phrases for specific life events. Using the right one shows cultural awareness that Italians deeply appreciate.

In bocca al lupo!

This is one of the most culturally rich expressions in the Italian language. Like the English "break a leg," it uses reverse psychology, wishing someone into the wolf's mouth so that fate does the opposite. But the ritual extends further: the response must be Crepi! (May it die!) or Crepi il lupo! (May the wolf die!). Responding with Grazie is considered bad luck, and Italians will often correct you with a smile.

University students across Italy exchange this phrase before every exam. It is practically a sacred ritual in Italian academic life.

Tanta felicità!

A heartfelt wish that goes beyond mere congratulations. Tanta felicità is what you say when you genuinely want to express joy for someone's happiness, at weddings, engagements, or the birth of a child. It is warm, sincere, and distinctly Italian in its emotional directness.

Ben meritato!

This phrase adds a layer of recognition beyond simple congratulations, it tells someone their success was earned. Like Bravo, it follows Italian gender agreement: ben meritato for a masculine noun, ben meritata for a feminine one. La vittoria? Ben meritata! (The victory? Well deserved!).

How to Respond to Italian Congratulations

Knowing how to graciously accept congratulations is equally important. Here are the most natural responses.

Wedding Congratulations: A Special Case

Italian wedding etiquette has a traditional rule that surprises many learners. According to the Società Dante Alighieri, the classic distinction is:

• Auguri goes to the bride (wishing her future happiness)
• Congratulazioni goes to the groom (congratulating him on winning her)

This tradition reflects older social norms and is fading in modern Italy, but you will still encounter it among older generations and in formal settings. The safe universal option is Auguri e felicitazioni! (Wishes and congratulations!), which covers both.

Practice With Real Italian Content

Reading about these expressions is a strong foundation, but hearing them used naturally by native speakers is what makes them stick. Italian cinema is famously expressive, and congratulatory scenes are everywhere, from family celebrations in La Grande Bellezza to emotional victories in Cinema Paradiso.

Wordy lets you watch Italian movies and shows with interactive subtitles, tapping on any expression to see its meaning, pronunciation, and cultural context in real time. Instead of memorizing phrases from a list, you absorb them from real conversations with authentic Italian intonation and gestures.

For more Italian content, explore our blog for guides including the best movies to learn Italian. You can also visit our Italian learning page to start practicing today.