Asking 'How are you?'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'Come stai?' for friends and 'Come sta?' for formal situations to ask how someone is doing.
- Use 'Come stai?' with friends and family (informal).
- Use 'Come sta?' with strangers or in professional settings (formal).
- Always use a question mark in writing.
Meanings
These phrases are used to inquire about a person's physical or emotional well-being.
Informal inquiry
Asking a peer how they are.
“Come stai?”
“Come va?”
Formal inquiry
Asking a superior or stranger how they are.
“Come sta?”
“Come sta Lei?”
General status
Asking how things are going in general.
“Come va la vita?”
“Come va il lavoro?”
Conjugation of 'Stare' (Present Indicative)
| Subject | Form |
|---|---|
| Io | sto |
| Tu | stai |
| Lui/Lei | sta |
| Noi | stiamo |
| Voi | state |
| Loro | stanno |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Informal | Come + stai? | Come stai? |
| Formal | Come + sta? | Come sta? |
| Neutral | Come + va? | Come va? |
| Negative | Non + sto + bene | Non sto bene |
| Affirmative | Sto + bene | Sto bene |
| Plural | Come + state? | Come state? |
Formality Spectrum
Come sta? (Greeting)
Come va? (Greeting)
Come stai? (Greeting)
Come butta? (Greeting)
Greeting Map
Informal
- Come stai? How are you?
Formal
- Come sta? How are you?
Examples by Level
Ciao, come stai?
Hi, how are you?
Buongiorno, come sta?
Good morning, how are you?
Come va?
How is it going?
Tutto bene?
Everything good?
Come stai oggi?
How are you today?
Come sta Lei?
How are you (formal)?
Come va il lavoro?
How is work going?
E tu, come stai?
And you, how are you?
Non sto molto bene, grazie.
I'm not doing very well, thanks.
Come sta la Sua famiglia?
How is your family?
Come va la vita a Roma?
How is life in Rome?
Spero che Lei stia bene.
I hope you are well.
Come se la passa?
How are you getting on?
Mi chiedevo come stesse.
I was wondering how you were.
Come va con il nuovo progetto?
How is it going with the new project?
Come sta procedendo il lavoro?
How is the work proceeding?
Come si sente oggi?
How are you feeling today?
Come va la situazione?
How is the situation?
Come sta andando la faccenda?
How is the matter going?
Come se la cava?
How are you managing?
Come sta, egregio dottore?
How are you, esteemed doctor?
Come va la salute?
How is your health?
Come sta il morale?
How is the morale?
Come va la vita in generale?
How is life in general?
Easily Confused
Both mean 'to be'.
Both mean 'you'.
Both mean 'how are you'.
Common Mistakes
Come sei?
Come stai?
Come stai Lei?
Come sta?
Come sta tu?
Come stai?
Come va tu?
Come va?
Come stai, Professore?
Come sta, Professore?
Stai bene?
Come stai?
Come sta la tua mamma?
Come sta la tua mamma?
Come stia?
Come sta?
Come va a te?
Come va?
Come stai, signore?
Come sta, signore?
Come si sta?
Come sta?
Come va la tua salute?
Come sta?
Come sta Lei, tu?
Come sta?
Sentence Patterns
Ciao, come ___?
Buongiorno, come ___?
___ stai oggi?
Come ___ la vita?
Real World Usage
Come va?
Buongiorno, come sta?
Come sta, signore?
Ehi, come stai?
Come si sente?
Come va il viaggio?
Use 'va'
Avoid 'sei'
Add 'Lei'
Smile
Smart Tips
Use 'Come sta?' to be safe.
Use 'Come va?' for speed.
Use 'Come state?'.
Always add 'grazie'.
Pronunciation
Stare
The 'e' at the end is pronounced clearly.
Rising
Come stai? ↑
Question intonation
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Stai for the guy you know, Sta for the stranger you don't know.
Visual Association
Imagine a 'T' (for Tu/stai) on a friend's shirt, and a 'S' (for Signor/sta) on a businessman's suit.
Rhyme
Stai for the guy, Sta for the guy in the tie.
Story
Marco meets his friend Luca and says 'Come stai?'. Then he meets his boss and says 'Come sta?'. He never mixes them up.
Word Web
Challenge
Ask three people 'Come stai?' or 'Come sta?' today.
Cultural Notes
Often more direct.
Often more warm/expressive.
Always use Lei.
Stare comes from Latin 'stare' (to stand).
Conversation Starters
Come stai?
Come sta?
Come va il lavoro?
Come si sente oggi?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Come ___?
Come ___?
Find and fix the mistake:
Come sei?
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
How are you (formal)?
Answer starts with: Com...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Tu ___.
A: Come stai? B: ___
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesCome ___?
Come ___?
Find and fix the mistake:
Come sei?
stai / come / ?
How are you (formal)?
Match formal/informal.
Tu ___.
A: Come stai? B: ___
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
It describes state of being.
It is neutral.
Only if they ask.
People will understand.
Only with friends.
Formal you.
No.
Sto bene.
In Other Languages
¿Cómo estás?
None.
Comment vas-tu?
Verb choice.
Wie geht es dir?
Structure.
O-genki desu ka?
Cultural focus.
Kayfa haluk?
Vocabulary.
Ni hao ma?
Simplicity.
