Ways to say it
| Bosnian | Note |
|---|---|
| kako si? | Latin, informal, singular |
| kako ste? | Latin, formal, plural |
These phrases are used as greetings to ask about someone's well-being. If you wish to specifically ask "How do you feel?" to show empathy or concern, you can use Kako se osjećate?
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase kako si?, kako means "how" and si is the second-person singular form of the verb "to be".
Which one should you use?
Use kako si? for an informal tone. Use kako ste? for a formal tone or when addressing more than one person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
kako si? is the informal version, used when speaking to one friend, a family member or someone younger than you. kako ste? is the formal version, used when speaking to one person you do not know well, a superior or when addressing a group of people.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Posavina region, the phrase Kako si, jarane? is used to mean "How are you, mate?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The form kako ste? uses the second-person plural verb conjugation, which is also used for formal singular address.
When do people say it?
When someone asks you kako si? or kako ste?, a common and natural response is Dobro, hvala, which means "Good, thanks.".
Did you know?
- If you use the formal kako ste? with a close friend, you might accidentally sound cold or even offended, as if you are creating distance between you.
- While English speakers often use 'how are you' as a ritualized greeting without expecting a real answer, a Bosnian person might genuinely expect a brief description of your current state.
- The word jarane used in the greeting Kako si, jarane? is derived from the word for 'friend' but carries a specific connotation of deep, lifelong brotherhood.
Examples in context
- Dobar dan, kako si?Good day, how are you?This example shows how to use kako si? in a greeting with "Good day".Tatoeba #476796 by FeuDRenais, translation #415678 by blay_paul
- Dobro jutro! Kako ste?Good morning! How are you?
- Čujem da ste bili bolesni. Kako se osjećate?I heard you were sick. How do you feel?
- Pozdrav! Kako si?Hello! How are you?
- Hej, šta ima?Hey, what's up?
- Sve super, hvala! Kako si ti?Everything is great, thank you! How are you?
- Pozdrav! Kako si, jarane?Hello! How are you, mate?
Example conversation
Amar and Selma meet by chance on the street.
- AmarSelma, zdravo, kako si?Selma, hi, how are you?
- SelmaĆao Amare, dobro sam, hvala.Hi Amar, I am well, thanks.
- AmarDrago mi je to čuti.I am glad to hear that.
- SelmaHvala ti, kako si ti?Thank you, how are you?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how are you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
