Italian grammar
Come stai? — bene / male / così così
Ask how someone is and reply.
From the scene Come stai? (How are you?)
In short
Ask come stai? (friend) or come sta? (polite). Answer bene, male or così così.
- how are you? come stai?
- well bene
- bad male
- so-so così così
- very well / very bad molto bene / molto male
Your turn
Which one goes with well?
Options: come stai? · male · bene
Show answer
well → bene
How it works
Come stai? asks a friend how they are (to an older person or a stranger: come sta?).
Good to know
Answer with bene (well), male (bad) or così così (so-so); molto makes it stronger.
how are you? come stai?
Nuria
Ciao, Tomás! Come stai?
Hello, Tomás! How are you?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Ciao, Tomás! (blank)?
Options: Male · Come stai · Bene
Show answer
Nuria
Ciao, Tomás! Come stai?
Hello, Tomás! How are you?
well bene
Nuria
Molto bene, grazie.
Very well, thanks.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Molto (blank), grazie.
Options: come stai · male · bene
Show answer
Nuria
Molto bene, grazie.
Very well, thanks.
bad male
Tomás
Sto male. Molto male.
Bad. Very bad.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Sto (blank). Molto male.
Options: male · come stai · bene
Show answer
Tomás
Sto male. Molto male.
Bad. Very bad.
so-so così così
Tomás
Così così.
So-so.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank).
Options: Come stai · Bene · Così così
Show answer
Tomás
Così così.
So-so.
very well / very bad molto bene / molto male
Tomás
Molto bene! Molto, molto bene!
Very well! Very, very well!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank)! Molto, molto bene!
Options: Come stai · Male · Molto bene
Show answer
Tomás
Molto bene! Molto, molto bene!
Very well! Very, very well!
Watch out
It is come stai (stare), not come sei — that asks what someone is like.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| how are you? | come stai? |
|---|---|
| well | bene |
| bad | male |
| so-so | così così |
| very well / very bad | molto bene / molto male |
More lines from the story
- ElenaChurros, Tomás?Churros, Tomás?