chi è?
The English phrase "who is this?" is translated into Italian as chi è?
chi è? is the standard phrase used to ask for the identity of a person when it is unknown, such as when answering a phone or someone knocking at a door. While the literal meaning is "who is?", it functions as "who is this?" in these contexts.
Which one should you use?
Use chi è questo? to ask "who is this (man)?" and chi è questa? to ask "who is this (woman)?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Italian dialects, such as those spoken in Sicily and Calabria, you may hear the phrase Chi è chistu/chista? to mean "Who is this?"
Did you know?
- When answering a phone in Italy, using chi è? can sometimes sound abrupt. Many Italians prefer to say chi parla?, which literally asks 'who is speaking?'
- While chi è? is the standard way to ask 'who is this?' on the phone, using the full chi è questo? can sometimes sound overly pointed or even aggressive depending on your tone.
- In Italian, the accent on è is not just a stylistic choice but a vital tool to distinguish the verb 'is' from the conjunction 'e', which means 'and'.
Examples in context
- Mi scusi, chi è la signora seduta accanto a lei?Excuse me, who is the lady sitting next to you?
- Chi è sta nuova ragazza che si è trasferita nel quartiere?Who is this new girl who moved into the neighborhood?
- Scusi, chi è?Excuse me, who is this?
Example conversation
Francesco and Martina are looking at a photo on a phone.
- FrancescoChi è?Who is this?
- MartinaÈ il mio nuovo collega.It is my new colleague.
- FrancescoSembra una persona simpatica.He seems like a nice person.
- MartinaSì, è molto gentile.Yes, he is very kind.
