Come sta?
The English phrase "how are you? (formal)" is translated into Italian as Come sta?
Come sta? is used to ask how someone is doing in formal situations.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means "How stays [he/she/you formal]?", where sta is a form of the verb stare, meaning "to stay" or "to be" in a state of being.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use Come sta? when addressing elders, strangers or people in professional settings to show respect.
When do people say it?
When someone asks you Come sta?, a natural response is Bene, grazie. E Lei?, which means "Well, thank you. And you? (formal)". It is natural to use the formal pronoun Lei when returning the question in this context.
Did you know?
- The formal Lei is the same word as 'she', so Come sta? is grammatically the question you would ask about a third person.
- The word sta comes from a root that also gives us the English word 'state', connecting your physical or emotional condition to a fixed position or status.
- Unlike the English 'How are you?', which can sometimes be a mere hollow greeting, a formal Come sta? in Italy often expects a brief, genuine answer about one's health or situation.
Example conversation
Martina meets her professor, Francesco, in the hallway.
- MartinaBuongiorno, professor Francesco. Come sta?Good morning, Professor Francesco. How are you?
- FrancescoSto bene, grazie. E lei?I am well, thank you. And you?
- MartinaSto bene anch'io, grazie.I am well too, thank you.
- FrancescoMi fa piacere, Martina.I am glad to hear that, Martina.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries come, CC BY-SA 4.0.
