Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| piacere di conoscerla | feminine, masculine |
| come va |
piacere di conoscerla is specifically used during an initial introduction, while come va is a way to ask how someone is doing or how things are going.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase piacere di conoscerla literally means "pleasure of knowing you" (using the formal 'you').
Which one should you use?
Use piacere di conoscerla when you are meeting someone for the first time in a formal setting. In contrast, use come va when you want to ask how someone is doing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
piacere di conoscerla is a formal expression. On the other hand, come va is an informal way to greet someone or ask how they are, similar to the English "how's it going?" For a formal way to say "How are you?", you can also use Come sta?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Southern Italy, locals may use the greeting Comme stai?
How does it change in a sentence?
The form piacere di conoscerla uses the formal third-person singular pronoun la to address the person directly.
Did you know?
- The formal pronoun la used in piacere di conoscerla is actually a feminine pronoun used for both men and women in this specific formal context.
- The verb va in come va comes from the Latin vādō, which is the ancestor of the English verb 'to wade'.
- In a formal introduction, Italians often shorten piacere di conoscerla to just the single word piacere. This acts as a shorthand for 'pleasure' and is accompanied by a firm handshake.
Examples in context
- Come va, Signora Jones?How do you do, Mrs. Jones?This sentence shows how to use come va when addressing someone by name.Tatoeba #12516522 by Guybrush88, translation #35446 by CN
- Come va?How do you do?This sentence demonstrates a simple use of come va.Tatoeba #373325 by Guybrush88, translation #1285339 by riccioberto
- Buongiorno! Come sta?Good morning! How do you do?
- Ciao! Come va?Hi! How's it going?
- Piacere di conoscerla, signore.How do you do, sir.
Example conversation
Francesco and Sofia meet for the first time at a formal business event.
- FrancescoBuongiorno, sono Francesco.Good morning, I am Francesco.
- SofiaPiacere di conoscerla, io sono Sofia.How do you do, I am Sofia.
- FrancescoMolto lieto, signora.Very pleased to meet you, ma'am.
- SofiaIl piacere è mio.The pleasure is mine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how do you do” translations and entries piacere di conoscerla, come va, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries come, come va, di, piacere, va, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
