bene, tu come stai?
To say "good, how are you?" in Italian, use bene, tu come stai?
This phrase is used as a response to a greeting. It answers the speaker's question about your well-being and immediately asks the same of the other person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adverb bene (well), the pronoun tu (you), the interrogative come (how) and the second-person singular of the verb stare (to be/to stay).
Which one should you use?
Use the polite version bene, come sta? when speaking to a stranger, an elder or in a formal setting.
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual conversation, Italians often shorten the full question tu come stai? to just e tu? (and you?), resulting in bene, e tu? When using a formal register, the shortened response becomes bene, e Lei?
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the adjective buono (good) to answer "how are you?", but you must use the adverb bene (well) instead.
Did you know?
- If you use the formal Lei in your response, you are not just being polite, you are technically addressing the person as 'She' because Lei is the third-person formal pronoun.
- In some regions of Italy, people may respond to come stai? with non c'è male, which literally means 'there is no bad'. It is a common way to say 'not bad'.
- The word bene shares its roots with the English word 'benefit', which refers to something that is inherently 'good' or 'well'.
Examples in context
- Buon giorno, come sta, signore?Good morning, how are you, sir?
- Sto bene, tu come stai?I'm doing well, how are you?
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo meet at a cafe.
- GiuliaCiao Matteo, come stai?Hi Matteo, how are you?
- MatteoBene, tu come stai?Good, how are you?
- GiuliaSto bene, grazie!I am doing well, thank you!
- MatteoSono felice di sentirtelo dire.I am happy to hear that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bene, come, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
