che si dice
The English phrase "sup" can be translated into Italian as che si dice.
che si dice is an informal greeting used to ask someone what is happening or how they are doing, similar to the English "what's up" or "what's happening".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
che si dice is an informal way to greet someone. Other informal options for greeting or asking how someone is include Ciao (Hello), Ehi (Hey), Che succede? (What's up?) and Come va? (How's it going?).
Did you know?
- In some contexts, che si dice is used not as a greeting but as a prompt to start gossiping, effectively meaning 'what is the latest rumor'.
- In Italy, a greeting like che si dice is often accompanied by a slight upward nod or a hand gesture, whereas in more formal settings, such physical informality would be avoided.
- The si in che si dice is a reflexive pronoun derived from the Latin 'se', which refers to 'himself, herself or themselves'.
Examples in context
- Ehi, tutto bene?Hey, everything alright?
- Ehi, che si dice?Hey, what's up?
- Che si dice di bello?What's the good news?
- Allora, che si dice?So, what's up?
Example conversation
Martina and Lorenzo meet randomly on the street.
- MartinaCiao Lorenzo, che si dice?Hi Lorenzo, what's up?
- LorenzoNiente di speciale, tu?Nothing special, you?
- MartinaTutto bene, grazie.Everything is good, thanks.
- LorenzoBene, ci vediamo dopo!Good, see you later!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries che, si, CC BY-SA 4.0.
