Italian · Home, Clothes & Daily Life
"What are you doing?" in Italian: Cosa fai?
Cosa fai?
Note: right now: Cosa stai facendo?
What are you doing in Italian is Cosa fai? It is the everyday tu question. Cosa stai facendo? is a note for right-now progressive, not the headword.
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How to pronounce Cosa fai?
Say it
KOH-sah FAH-ee
/ˈkɔ.sa ˈfai/
Cosa fai: KOH-sah FAH-ee. Open ah in fai.
"What are you doing?" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Cosa fai? | What are you doing? / What do you do? Default tu. | Default tu. |
| cosa fai stasera? | what are you doing tonight? Plans. | Plans. |
| cosa fai di bello? | what are you up to? Friendly. | Friendly. |
| cosa fate? | what are you (plural) doing? Group. | Group. |
How to use Cosa fai? in real life
- 1Phone call
Pronto—cosa fai in questo momento?
Hello—what are you doing right now?
Check-in.
- 2Office door
Scusa, cosa fai? Posso entrare?
Sorry, what are you doing? May I come in?
Interrupt gently.
- 3Weekend text
Cosa fai domenica pomeriggio?
What are you doing Sunday afternoon?
Invite setup.
Mistakes English speakers make with Cosa fai?
Incorrect: Cosa stai facendo? (as the only headword)
Correct: Cosa fai?
Train Cosa fai? first; stai facendo is only a progressive note.
Incorrect: Cosa fai tu facendo?
Correct: Cosa fai?
Don't mix fai and facendo in one question.
Good to know
Cosa fai? covers both what are you up to and sometimes what do you do for work, so tone and context matter. Friends use it constantly in chats and calls.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Texting a friend mid-afternoon
ChatPal
Ehi—cosa fai?
Hey—what are you doing?
You
Cosa fai tu? Io studio ancora.
What are you doing? I'm still studying.
ChatPal
Io niente. Se vuoi, usciamo.
Nothing. If you want, let's go out.
You
Ok, tra mezz'ora.
Ok, in half an hour.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"What are you doing?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What are you doing?" in Italian
Exact phrase?
Cosa fai?
Tonight?
Cosa fai stasera?
Progressive note?
Cosa stai facendo? for right now.
Plural?
Cosa fate?
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
Keep reading
- How to Learn Italian Fast and Speak with ConfidenceLearn how to learn Italian with a clear roadmap, speaking-first tactics and daily habits that turn basics into real conversation confidence.
- Translate Hello in Italian with ConfidenceLearn how to translate hello in Italian with context, pronunciation, and practice prompts. Master ciao, buongiorno, buonasera, and salve for real conversations.
