Running into a friend in Italian: from hello to a plan
Bene, un po' stanco. E tu?
“Fine, a bit tired. And you?”
When: Answering their first question on the street
The moment
In Trastevere you bump into someone you met once at a party. Say ciao, ask how their day has gone, chat for a minute, and walk away with a real plan: day, time and place.
A1 · Unit 4 · People · Checkpoint
This is the unit’s checkpoint: one roleplay that puts the unit’s scenes together.
The lines
Keeping the small talk alive
Answer in a few words and hand the question straight back: 'Bene, un po' stanco. E tu?' Those last two words do most of the work in a chat on the street.
Bene, un po' stanco. E tu?
“Fine, a bit tired. And you?”
When to use it: Answering their first question on the street
What you’ll hear back: Eh, anch'io. Che settimana! (Same here. What a week!)
Inviting with a day attached
Put the invitation and the day in one line: 'Prendiamo un caffè giovedì?' Then pin the hour with 'Ti va bene alle sette?' and the plan is nearly done.
Prendiamo un caffè giovedì?
“Shall we get a coffee on Thursday?”
When to use it: When the chat is ending and you want to meet again
What you’ll hear back: Volentieri! A che ora? (Gladly! What time?)
Words for this scene
| Italian | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sono un po' stanco | SOH-noh oon poh STAHN-koh | I'm a bit tired |
Eh, oggi sono un po' stanco. Ugh, today I'm a bit tired. Tip: Women say 'stanca'; it beats a flat 'bene' every time. | ||
| Volentieri! | voh-len-TYEH-ree | Gladly, I'd love to! |
Un caffè giovedì? Volentieri! A coffee on Thursday? I'd love to! Tip: Say it fast and warm, or the invitation feels turned down. | ||
| Allora, giovedì alle sette | ahl-LOH-rah joh-veh-DEE AHL-leh SEHT-teh | Thursday at seven, then |
Allora, giovedì alle sette in piazza. Ciao! Thursday at seven in the square, then. Bye! Tip: Saying the plan back locks it in before you both walk off. | ||
Your objective
Say hello, ask about their day, tell them one thing about yours, and leave with a plan: a day, a time and a place.
- a question about their day
- something about your day
- a day, a time and a place
Lines that get it done
- Bene, un po' stanco. E tu?
- Eh, oggi sono un po' stanco. · Ugh, today I'm a bit tired.
- Allora, giovedì alle sette in piazza. Ciao! · Thursday at seven in the square, then. Bye!
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. Someone asks you 'Com'è andata oggi?'. Which reply answers and keeps the chat going?
- Bene, sono un po' stanco. E tu?
- Bene, grazie. Quant'è?
- Sì, per favore. E tu?
- Molto bene. Che ore sono?
Show the answer
Bene, sono un po' stanco. E tu?
Answer in a few words, then bounce the question back with 'E tu?'.
2. You want to say you had breakfast at the café this morning. Which sentence is right?
- Stamattina ho fatto colazione al bar.
- Stamattina faccio colazione al bar ieri.
- Stamattina ho colazione al bar.
- Stamattina fare colazione al bar.
Show the answer
Stamattina ho fatto colazione al bar.
'Ho fatto' is what you say about something you did earlier today.
3. You have both agreed on Thursday at seven in the square. How do you seal the plan?
- Allora, giovedì alle sette in piazza.
- Allora, ti va bene giovedì?
- Allora, prendiamo un caffè?
- Allora, dove ci vediamo?
Show the answer
Allora, giovedì alle sette in piazza.
Repeating day, time and place back is how Italians confirm a plan.