Which one should you use?
While come hai dormito? asks how the sleep was, you may also use the variations Hai dormito bene? or Ha dormito bene? to specifically ask 'Did you sleep well?' In informal settings, you can also use the phrase Com'è andata la notte? which means 'How was your night?'
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Sicilian dialect, you can say Comu hai durmitu? to mean 'How did you sleep?'
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask more than one person how they slept, use the plural form come avete dormito?
When do people say it?
A common and natural response to this question is Bene, grazie. (Well, thanks). If the sleep quality was mediocre, you can respond with Così così. (So-so). You may also use greetings such as Buongiorno (Good morning) or Buonasera (Good evening) during your interactions.
Did you know?
- If you respond to Come hai dormito? with Non ho chiuso occhio, you are using a common idiom meaning 'I didn't close an eye' to say you didn't sleep at all.
- A person who slept very soundly might say ho dormito come un sasso, meaning they 'slept like a stone'.
- If someone slept poorly, they might say ho dormito a sprazzi, which describes sleep that comes in fragmented 'splashes' or bursts.
Examples in context
- Signora, ha dormito bene?Ma'am, did you sleep well?
- Dimmi, come hai dormito?Tell me, how did you sleep?
Example conversation
A couple chatting in the kitchen during breakfast.
- SofiaBuongiorno, Lorenzo! Come hai dormito?Good morning, Lorenzo! How did you sleep?
- LorenzoMolto bene, grazie. E tu, Sofia?Very well, thanks. And you, Sofia?
- SofiaHo dormito un po' male.I slept a little poorly.
- LorenzoMi dispiace molto.I am very sorry.
