How to Say “Are You Single?” in Italian

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sei single?
/ˈsɛj ˈsin.ɡol/word by word
Are you single? In Italian is sei single?
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone is currently in a romantic relationship. While many Italians use the English loanword single, you can also use the alternatives sei libero? for a man or sei libera? for a woman to ask if someone is unattached.

Which one should you use?

sei single? is the informal way to ask the question, whereas Lei è single? is the formal version. You may also see the shorter è single? used when employing the third-person singular formal address.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

sei single? uses the informal second-person singular and is appropriate for peers or people you know, though it may be considered too blunt for formal settings. Lei è single? or è single? is the polite way to ask a stranger, someone older or someone in a professional setting.

How does it change in a sentence?

The English loanword single acts as an invariable adjective in Italian, meaning it does not change its ending to match the gender of the person you are addressing.

How do you pronounce it?

The pronunciation is /ˈsɛj ˈsin.ɡol/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.

Did you know?

  • If you ask sei libero? to a man, it can mean 'are you single?' or 'are you free?' as in 'do you have time to talk now?'
  • While single refers to relationship status, the Italian word singolo is used for things like a 'single' record or a 'single' bed.
  • When using the formal version Lei è single?, the word Lei sounds like the feminine pronoun 'she', but it actually functions as the polite 'you'.

Examples in context

  • Scusi, signore. Lei è single?
    Excuse me, sir. Are you single?
  • Buongiorno, Professor Rossi. Lei è single?
    Good morning, Professor Rossi. Are you single?
  • Ciao, Marco. Sei single?
    Hi, Marco. Are you single?
  • Ti trovo simpatico/a. Sei single?
    I find you nice. Are you single?
  • Scusa, sei single?
    Excuse me, are you single?
  • Volevo chiederti, sei single?
    I wanted to ask you, are you single?

Example conversation

Two friends are talking at a café.

  1. Sofia

    Alessandro, posso farti una domanda?
    Alessandro, can I ask you a question?
  2. Alessandro

    Certo, dimmi pure.
    Sure, go ahead.
  3. Sofia

    Sei single?
    Are you single?
  4. Alessandro

    Sì, al momento sono single.
    Yes, at the moment I am single.

Sources

  • IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sei, single) and can differ in connected speech.
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