Signification
Asking about current activities.
Contexte culturel
Asking 'Che fai?' is a sign of affection and closeness. It's rarely considered intrusive among friends and family. In the south, this question is often followed by an invitation to eat or drink something together immediately. In a professional context, 'Che cosa fa?' is used to ask about someone's role in a company during networking. On Instagram or TikTok, 'Che fai?' is a common caption for stories showing daily activities or 'Get Ready With Me' videos.
Shorten it for speed
In texts, just write 'Che fai?'. It's the most natural way to message a friend.
Watch the 'tu' vs 'Lei'
Always remember that 'fai' is for friends. Use 'fa' for people you don't know well.
Signification
Asking about current activities.
Shorten it for speed
In texts, just write 'Che fai?'. It's the most natural way to message a friend.
Watch the 'tu' vs 'Lei'
Always remember that 'fai' is for friends. Use 'fa' for people you don't know well.
The 'Di Bello' trick
Adding 'di bello' (of beautiful) makes the question sound much warmer and more Italian.
Use it for 'What's up?'
Don't wait for someone to be doing something complex. You can use it as a simple greeting.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct informal way to ask a friend what they are doing.
Ciao Luca, _______?
'Fai' is the informal 'tu' form used for friends.
Complete the sentence with the missing word.
Che ____ fai stasera?
The standard phrase is 'Che cosa fai?'.
Match the phrase to the correct context.
When would you say 'Che cosa fa?' instead of 'Che cosa fai?'
'Fa' is the formal version used with strangers or officials.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Che cosa fai? B: ________ un caffè.
The answer should be in the first person 'io' (I) form: 'Faccio'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Tu vs. Lei
Common Answers
Work/Study
- • Studio
- • Lavoro
- • Scrivo
Leisure
- • Mangio
- • Guardo la TV
- • Esco
Nothing
- • Niente
- • Riposo
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesCiao Luca, _______?
'Fai' is the informal 'tu' form used for friends.
Che ____ fai stasera?
The standard phrase is 'Che cosa fai?'.
When would you say 'Che cosa fa?' instead of 'Che cosa fai?'
'Fa' is the formal version used with strangers or officials.
A: Che cosa fai? B: ________ un caffè.
The answer should be in the first person 'io' (I) form: 'Faccio'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsBoth are grammatically correct. 'Che cosa fai?' is slightly more complete, while 'Che fai?' is more common in casual conversation.
Yes, 'Che cosa fai nella vita?' is a common way to ask about someone's profession.
'Fai' is the simple present (What do you do?), while 'stai facendo' is the continuous (What are you doing right now?). In Italian, 'fai' is often used for both.
Yes, it can be seen as too personal. If you must ask, use the formal 'Che cosa fa?' and ensure you have a reason to ask.
Answer with 'Faccio...' or simply the action: 'Studio', 'Lavoro', 'Niente'.
In this context, yes, but it's part of the interrogative structure 'what'.
Absolutely. It's very common, especially in Northern Italy.
In formal writing, you would likely use more specific verbs or the formal 'Lei' form.
It literally means 'What are you doing of beautiful?', but it's just a friendly way to say 'What are you up to?'.
Yes, with the right intonation, it can express surprise or even anger.
In the North, it's usually a 'z' sound (/kɔza/). In the South, it's often a sharp 's' (/kɔsa/). Both are fine.
It comes from the Latin 'facere', and many common verbs in Romance languages evolved irregularly due to high frequency of use.
Expressions liées
Che fai di bello?
similarWhat fun things are you doing?
Che cosa stai facendo?
builds onWhat are you doing (right now)?
Che lavoro fai?
specialized formWhat job do you do?
Che succede?
similarWhat's happening?
Che si dice?
synonymWhat's the news? / What's up?
