ciau, comu stai?
The English phrase "hi, how are you?" is expressed in Sicilian as ciau, comu stai?
This phrase is a common greeting used to say hello and ask about someone's well-being.
Which one should you use?
While comu stai? is used for informal situations, comu sta? is the formal or polite version used when addressing someone with respect or when addressing a group. Other variations include Ciau, cumu va? and Bongiornu, cumu vai?, which are both informal ways to say "Hi, how are you?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form ciau, comu stai? is an informal greeting used with friends, family or people you know well. In contrast, comu sta? is the formal version used to show respect. The phrase Cumu stai? can also be used to address someone informally but politely.
How does it change in a sentence?
When responding to comu stai?, you can say staju bonu if you are male or staju bona if you are female to mean "I am well".
Did you know?
- The greeting ciau is not an indigenous Sicilian word but a relatively recent adoption from the Italian 'ciao', which itself originated from a Venetian phrase meaning 'I am your slave'.
- While English speakers often use 'how are you?' as a passing politeness, in Sicily, answering too briefly to comu stai? can sometimes be perceived as being cold or unfriendly.
- The response staju bonu uses the word bonu, which usually means 'good' or 'tasty'. In this context, it refers to a state of physical and spiritual well-being.
Examples in context
- Ciau, comu stai?Hi, how are you?
