Introducing yourself in Italian is an important part of learn Italian and making new friends. First, you learn how to say hello in Italian, then next step is to learning how to say How are you? in Italian – the key to unlocking genuine connections. Italians place a lot of importance on social interactions, and using the right phrases reflects respect and cultural awareness. Whether you’re planning a trip to Italy or simply eager to enrich your language skills, mastering these Italian expressions opens doors to meaningful conversations and fosters a deeper connection with the beautiful Italian language. Say arrivederci (goodbye in Italian) to awkward intros and ciao (hello) to meaningful interactions with the locals.
In this guide, we’ll unravel the art of casual conversation by mastering the quintessential greeting of asking “How are you?” in Italian plus 10 common ways to respond. Cominciamo! (Let’s get started!)
5 Ways to ask ‘How are you?’ in Italian
1. Come sta? – How are you?
How to pronounce it: koh-meh stah
Meaning: How are you?
Usage: Formal Italian greeting
2. Come stai? – How are you?
How to pronounce it: koh-meh staiee
Meaning: How are you?
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
3. Come va? – How’s it going?
How to pronounce it: koh-meh vah
Meaning: How’s it going?
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
4. Come vanno le cose? – How are things (going)?
How to pronounce it: koh-meh vahn-noh leh koh-zeh
Meaning: How are things (going)?
Usage: Informal Italian greeting
5. Come te butta? – How are ya?
How to pronounce it: koh-meh te boot-tah
Meaning: How are ya? (literally, How are you throwing yourself?)
Usage: Informal Roman dialect greeting
In Standard Italian, you would say either ‘come va’ (how’s it going?) or ‘come stai’ (how are you?), but in Romanesco, the verb ‘buttare’ (meaning ‘to throw’) is used. So, you’re literally saying, ‘how are you throwing yourself?’
10 Common Ways to Reply to ‘How are you?’ in Italian
1. Sto bene! – I’m well!
How to pronounce it: stoh beh-nay
Meaning: I’m well
Usage: Formal/informal greeeting
2. Molto bene, grazie – Very well, thanks
How to pronounce it: mol-toh beh-nay, grat-zyeh
Meaning: Very well, thanks
Usage: Formal/informal greeeting
3. Abbastanza bene, grazie – Quite well, thanks
How to pronounce it: ab-bah-stahn-za beh-nay, grat-zyeh
Meaning: Quite well, thanks
Usage: Formal/informal greeeting
4. Non c’è male – Not bad
How to pronounce it: nohn cheh mah-lay
Meaning: Not bad
Usage: Formal/informal greeeting
5. Va tutto bene – Everything’s going well
How to pronounce it: va tut-toh beh-nay
Meaning: Everything’s going well
Usage: Formal/informal greeeting
6. Benissimo! – Great!
How to pronounce it: ben-ees-see-moh
Meaning: Great! / Very well!
Usage: Formal/informal greeeting
7. Va benissimo! – Things are going great!
How to pronounce it: va ben-ees-see-moh
Meaning: t
Usage: Formal/informal greeeting
8. Così così – So-so
How to pronounce it: koh-zee koh-zee
Meaning: So-so
Usage: Formal/informal greeeting
9. Non mi posso lamentare – I can’t complain
How to pronounce it: nohn mee pos-soh lah-mehn-tah-ray
Meaning: I can’t complain
Usage: Formal/informal greeeting
10. Alla grande! – Awesome!
How to pronounce it: al-lah grahn-day
Meaning: Great! / Amazing!
Usage: Informal, Roman dialect
An equally Roman and positive response to the Roman ‘Come te butta?’, Alla grande! means ‘Awesome!’, literally – “in a big way”.
C’è la puoi fare! (You’ve got this!)
That’s it! You’ve just learned the most common Italian greetings. There is a lot to choose from and may seem overwhelming at first, but as you put them into practice hear them being used, you’ll realise they are easier to learn than you think.
Quite often you can use the same phrases to both greet and say goodbye in Italian. So, if at first you struggle to remember which greetings are formal or informal, just remember one or two: ‘buongiorno’ (Good morning) and ‘arrivederci‘ (Goodbye).
The important thing is to stay motivated and have a positive attitude. Learning Italian greeting are a great way to get your foot in the door and break the ice with locals, even if your fumble and make mistakes. Any effort you make will always be appreciated. If you accidentally slip and say ‘ciao!’, Italians are very forgiving people and can see that you’re still learning.
As the saying goes, well begun is half done. Learning Italian greetings is a great start to mastering the Italian language for travel and making a good first impression on your future new Italian friends.
Going to Italy? Learn these popular Italian travel phrases
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