How to Ask About Well-Being - Lesson Focus

Learn the key pattern to ask about well-being

Also Appears In: Can Ask About Well-being Level 1.1 Can Do Italian

Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Let's take a closer look at the conversation.

First, do you remember how Mark asks,

"How are you?"

Come stai?

First is come, "how." Come. Come.

Next is stai, "[you] are." Stai. Stai.

Note, stai is a shortened form of tu stai, "you are." In Italian, tu, you, is usually omitted, as it's understood from context.

Stai is from the verb stare, meaning "to be." Stare.

All together, it's Come stai? "How are [you]?"

Come stai?

Note the rising intonation to mark that it's a question. Come stai?

Let's take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how Matteo says,

"I'm well, thank you."

Sto bene, grazie.

"I'm well, thank you." Sto bene, grazie.

First is sto, "[I] am." Sto. Sto.

Note, sto is a shortened form of io sto, "I am." In Italian, io, "I," is often omitted when it's understood.

Sto is from the verb stare, meaning "to be" in this context. Stare.

Next is bene, "well." Bene. Bene.

Together, it's Sto bene. "I'm well." Sto bene.

Note, Sto bene may translate as I'm well, I'm fine, I'm good, I'm okay, etc, but we'll use "I'm well" for this lesson.

Next is, grazie, meaning "Thank you." Grazie. Grazie.

All together, it's Sto bene, grazie. "I'm well, thank you."

Sto bene, grazie.

Note the question "Come stai?" is for informal situations.

For formal situations, simply replace stai with sta, the formal form of "[you] are."

Come sta? "How are [you]?" for formal situations. Come sta?

Remember this variation. You'll see it again later.

In Italian, there are two verbs that translate as "to be:" stare and essere. When talking about well being, use stare.