“Ci Sentiamo”: What It Means in Italian and How to Use It

An Italian friend ends a conversation with “Dai, ci sentiamo!” You understand the individual words, but what happens next? Will they call you? Should you message them? Have you actually made a plan?

Ci sentiamo usually means “we’ll talk,” “talk to you later” or “we’ll be in touch.” It is a common way to end a conversation while leaving the door open to another one.

The exact meaning depends on what comes with it — and on the situation.

What does “ci sentiamo” mean in Italian?

The verb sentire can mean “to hear,” but when Italians talk about keeping in contact, sentirsi often means to speak to or hear from each other.

That contact might happen by phone, through messages or in another conversation. The expression does not specify the channel.

• Ci sentiamo domani. — We’ll talk tomorrow.
• Ci sentiamo più tardi. — Talk to you later.
• Ci sentiamo presto! — Speak soon!
• Dai, ci sentiamo! — Okay, let’s keep in touch!

These phrases all suggest future contact, but they do not all make an equally precise arrangement.

An example from the screenplay of Pane e tulipani

In the screenplay of Pane e tulipani, written by Doriana Leondeff and Silvio Soldini, Costantino receives a call from his mother while he is speaking to Rosalba.

His mother starts talking about wedding favours. It is clearly an inconvenient moment, and he tries to postpone the conversation:

“Più tardi ci sentiamo con più calma, va bene?”

Here, the meaning is: “We’ll talk later, when we have a bit more time, okay?”

Costantino uses the expression to bring the current conversation to a close while suggesting that they can continue later. The words con più calma make the postponement sound less abrupt.

This example comes from the screenplay, page 32, scene 67a; it is not a verified transcription of the film’s audio.

“Ci sentiamo domani” or “Dai, ci sentiamo”?

A small addition can change how specific the phrase sounds.

Ci sentiamo domani

This gives you a day. You expect another conversation tomorrow, although you may still need to agree on a time.

Ci sentiamo presto

This expresses the intention to stay in contact without setting a date.

Dai, ci sentiamo

This can be a friendly, informal goodbye. It may be sincere, but it is not a confirmed appointment.

The expression itself does not tell you whether someone will follow through. Your relationship, the conversation and any practical details matter.

If you need a clear arrangement, you can ask:

“Certo! Ti chiamo io domani pomeriggio?”
“Sure! Shall I call you tomorrow afternoon?”

Why is the present tense used for the future?

In “ci sentiamo domani,” sentiamo is in the present tense, even though the conversation will happen tomorrow.

Italian frequently uses the present for future arrangements when the time is clear:

• Ti chiamo stasera. — I’ll call you this evening.
• Ci vediamo lunedì. — We’ll see each other on Monday.
• Ci sentiamo dopo la lezione. — We’ll talk after the lesson.

To explore the difference, read our guide to the Italian future tense with Pane e tulipani.

“Ci sentiamo” and “ci vediamo”: what is the difference?

Ci sentiamo refers to communicating again, often remotely.

Ci vediamo refers to seeing or meeting each other.

You can use both in the same conversation:

“Ci sentiamo domani per decidere dove ci vediamo sabato.”
“We’ll talk tomorrow to decide where to meet on Saturday.”

First you get in touch; then you meet.

Practise with three everyday situations

Choose the most suitable ending.

1. You are busy and want to continue a phone conversation later.

• A. Ci sentiamo più tardi con più calma.
• B. Ci vediamo qui tra cinque minuti.

2. You have arranged to meet a classmate outside the school tomorrow.

• A. Ci vediamo domani davanti alla scuola.
• B. Ci sentiamo prima o poi.

3. You want to say goodbye warmly without arranging a specific time to talk.

• A. Ci sentiamo presto!
• B. Ti chiamo alle diciotto in punto.

Now make your own arrangement: complete “Ci sentiamo…” with a time or situation that is relevant to your life.

Learn the Italian you use in real conversations

Expressions such as ci sentiamo become easier to use when you connect them to a situation: ending a call, making a plan or keeping in touch with a friend.

At Il Centro, our Italian language school in Milan, our communicative and humanistic approach gives students opportunities to practise Italian in meaningful situations, with attention to context, intention and interaction.

For another everyday expression where context matters, explore mi dispiace, scusa and scusi.

Ci sentiamo presto — and next time you hear it, you’ll know how to respond.

Screenplay source: Pane e tulipani — Doriana Leondeff and Silvio Soldini, page 32, scene 67a. Other dialogues and exercises in this article are original teaching examples.