Asking How Someone Is

Italiano A1A11. Unit 1: First Meetings

Asking How Someone Is

When meeting someone in Italian, after saying hello, it is polite to ask how they are doing. Depending on who you are talking to, you can use a formal or informal way to ask.

Informal vs. Formal

Common Responses

Here are the most common ways to answer how you are feeling:

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Using Come stai? with your teacher or boss.
Correction: Always use Come sta? with people you need to show respect to.

Words

come
how
Come stai?How are you?
stai
you stay / you are (informal)
Come stai?How are you?
sta
you stay / he/she stays (formal)
Come sta?How are you?
sto
I stay / I am
Sto bene.I am well.
bene
well / good
Sto bene.I am well.
tutto
all / everything
Tutto bene!All is good!
male
bad / badly
Non c'è male.Not bad.
non
not
Non c'è male.Not bad.
così
so / thus
Così così.So-so.
ciao
hello / hi
Ciao, come stai?Hi, how are you?
grazie
thank you
Sto bene, grazie.I am well, thank you.
e
and
E tu?And you?
tu
you (informal)
E tu?And you?
Lei
you (formal)
E Lei?And you?
anche
also / too
Anche io.Me too.
molto
very / a lot
Molto bene.Very well.

Lessons are prepared with the help of AI.

Patterns

Come ___?

Asking how someone is (stai for informal, sta for formal).

Come stai?How are you?

Sto ___.

Stating how you are feeling (bene, male, etc.).

Sto bene.I am well.

E ___?

Asking 'And you?' back to the other person.

E tu?And you?