How to Say How Are You in Italian
How to say how are you in Italian: 'Come stai?' (KO-meh STAI) is informal, 'Come sta?' is formal. Pronunciation, formal vs informal, and how to reply inside.
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Quick answer
To say how are you in Italian, say 'Come stai?' (pronounced 'KO-meh STAI') with friends, or the formal 'Come sta?' (KO-meh STA) with strangers and elders. A casual alternative is 'Come va?' (KO-meh VAH), meaning 'how's it going?'
Come stai?
/KO-meh STAI/ — Italian
How to Say How Are You in Italian
The standard way to ask “how are you” in Italian is Come stai? (pronounced KO-meh STAI) for friends, and Come sta? for anyone you’d address formally. The two phrases differ by a single letter — that final verb ending carries Italy’s whole formal-vs-informal system. Here’s how to ask, who to ask which way, and exactly how to reply.
The Quick Answer: Come stai? vs. Come sta?
- Come stai? /KO-meh STAI/ — informal “how are you,” for friends, family, classmates and peers.
- Come sta? /KO-meh STA/ — formal “how are you,” for strangers, elders, professionals.
Both come from the verb stare (“to be / to feel”). The only change is the ending: stai (informal tu) vs sta (formal Lei).
Examples:
- Ciao, come stai? — Hi, how are you? (to a friend)
- Buongiorno, come sta? — Good morning, how are you? (to a stranger)
The Casual Alternative: Come va?
Just as common — and conveniently register-neutral — is Come va? /KO-meh VAH/, literally “how does it go?” It’s the relaxed “how’s it going?” that works with almost anyone.
- Come va? — How’s it going?
- Come va la vita? — How’s life?
- Tutto bene? /TOOT-toh BEH-neh/ — “All good?” — an easy, friendly check-in.
How to Reply
The textbook reply is Bene, grazie. E tu? (“Fine, thanks. And you?”). Match the register on the way back: E tu? (informal) or E lei? (formal).
| Italian | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bene, grazie | BEH-neh GRAT-tsye | Fine, thank you |
| Molto bene | MOL-toh BEH-neh | Very well |
| Benissimo | beh-NEES-see-mo | Great / really well |
| Non c’è male | non cheh MAH-leh | Not bad |
| Così così | ko-ZEE ko-ZEE | So-so |
| Tutto bene | TOOT-toh BEH-neh | All good |
| Insomma | in-SOM-mah | Meh / so-so |
| E tu? / E lei? | eh TOO / eh LEI | And you? (inf./formal) |
Formal vs. Informal: The Tu / Lei Rule
The choice between stai and sta mirrors the Tu / Lei distinction that runs through Italian:
- Tu (informal): Come stai? — friends, family, children, peers.
- Lei (formal): Come sta? — strangers, elders, clients, officials.
When in doubt, start with the formal Come sta? — Italians appreciate the courtesy and will invite you to switch to tu when they’re ready.
For groups, use the plural Come state? /KO-meh STAH-teh/, which addresses everyone at once.
Pronunciation Tips
- Come = “KO-meh” — two syllables, with a clear “eh” at the end (not “kohm”).
- stai = one syllable, like English “sty”; sta = “stah.”
- grazie = “GRAT-tsye” — the “z” is a “ts” sound.
- così = “ko-ZEE,” with stress on the accented final “ì.”
- Final vowels are always pronounced, and double consonants (tutto, insomma) are held a beat longer.
Cultural Notes
Italians genuinely ask Come stai? and often expect a real, if brief, answer — it’s part of warm, relationship-focused conversation rather than an empty formality. A natural exchange flows:
- — Ciao! Come stai? (Hi! How are you?)
- — Bene, grazie, e tu? (Fine, thanks, and you?)
- — Non c’è male! (Not bad!)
To deepen the chat, follow up with E la famiglia? (“And the family?”) or Che mi racconti? (“What’s new with you?”). The golden rule: match the other person’s register, and reply warmly — Italians value the connection as much as the words.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say how are you in Italian?
Say 'Come stai?' (KO-meh STAI) informally with friends and family, or 'Come sta?' (KO-meh STA) formally with strangers, elders and in professional settings. 'Come va?' (KO-meh VAH) is a relaxed 'how's it going?'
How do you pronounce 'Come stai?'
It's four syllables: KO-meh STAI. 'Come' is 'KO-meh' (the final 'e' is 'eh'), and 'stai' is one syllable rhyming with the English 'sty' or 'sky' without the k.
What is the difference between 'Come stai' and 'Come sta'?
'Come stai?' uses the informal 'tu' and is for friends, family and peers. 'Come sta?' uses the formal 'Lei' and is for strangers, elders and professional settings. The only difference is the final verb form: stai (informal) vs sta (formal).
How do you reply to 'Come stai?' in Italian?
Say 'Bene, grazie. E tu?' (BEH-neh, GRAT-tsye, eh TOO) — 'Fine, thanks. And you?' Formally, use 'E lei?' instead of 'E tu?'. Other replies: 'Molto bene' (very well), 'Così così' (so-so), or 'Non c'è male' (not bad).
How do you say how are you to a group in Italian?
Say 'Come state?' (KO-meh STAH-teh), the plural form for addressing two or more people. It works for both informal and formal groups, since modern Italian uses 'voi' for plural 'you' in everyday speech.