Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| come stai? | informal |
| come sta? | formal |
These phrases are used as greetings to ask about a person's well-being or current state. While come stai? is the standard informal way to ask, you can also use the informal expression Come va? to mean 'How's it going?'
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase come stai?, come means 'how' and stai is the second-person singular form of the verb stare, which means 'to stay' or 'to be' in the context of health or state.
Which one should you use?
Use come stai? when speaking to friends, family or people your own age. Use come sta? when speaking to a stranger, an elder or in a professional setting to show respect.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
come stai? is the informal form, while come sta? is the formal way to ask the question. You may also use Come sta lei? as a formal way to ask 'How are you?'
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask how a group of people is doing, use the third-person plural form come stanno?
When do people say it?
When someone asks you come stai?, a common response is Bene, grazie (Fine, thanks). You can then follow up by asking them how they are by saying E tu? if you are being informal, or E Lei? if you are being formal.
Did you know?
- In very traditional or old-fashioned formal Italian, the word Lei used in Come sta lei? originally referred to 'Your Excellency' or 'Your Honor', regardless of the person's gender.
- While Bene, grazie is the standard reply, an Italian might respond with Non c'è male, which literally means 'there is no bad'. This is a common way to express a neutral or mediocre state.
- The formal come sta? is not just about politeness but establishes a social distance. Switching from come sta? to come stai? is a significant social transition called 'passare al tu'.
Examples in context
- E tu, come stai?And you, how are you?This sentence shows how to ask 'And you, how are you?' using come stai?Tatoeba #661196 by rado, translation #388264 by Dorenda
- Ciao Mimi! Come stai?Hi, Mimi! How are you doing?This sentence demonstrates a casual greeting with 'Hi, Mimi! How are you doing?' using come stai?Tatoeba #423804 by Pharamp, translation #54601 by Zifre
- Ciao John! Come stai?Hi John! How are you?This sentence shows how to say 'Hi John! How are you?' using come stai?Tatoeba #1805312 by Guybrush88, translation #1804541 by Ameer
- Buongiorno, signora Rossi. Come sta oggi?Good morning, Mrs. Rossi. How are you today?
- Mi scusi, signor Bianchi. Come sta lei dopo l'intervento?Excuse me, Mr. Bianchi. How are you after the surgery?
- Ciao Marco! Come stai?Hi Marco! How are you?
- Ciao Laura! Come va da tuo fratello?Hi Laura! How is it going at your brother's place?
- Sto bene, grazieI'm fine, thank you.
- Non c'è maleNot bad.
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a cafe.
- SofiaCiao Matteo, come stai?Hi Matteo, how are you?
- MatteoTutto bene, e tu?Everything is good, and you?
- SofiaSto bene, grazie!I am doing well, thanks!
- MatteoSono contento di sentirti.I am happy to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how are you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
