4. Greetings in Italian
The Italian people value cordiality and manners. It’s important to use the correct greetings when meeting someone new or speaking to someone that you are already friends.
How to ask how a person is doing
| Italian | English | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Come stai? | How are you? (informal) | With friends or family |
| Come sta? | How are you sir? (formal) | Formal situations |
| Tutto bene? | Everything is fine? | Neutral, relaxed |
| Come va? | How are you doing? | Informal and direct |
There are a few possible answers you can give:
- Bene, grazie! (Well, thank you!)
- Tutto a posto. (All good)
- Non c’è male. (Nothing bad)
- Così così. (so so)
- E tu? / E Lei?. (And you? - informal / formal)