Feelings & Small Talk in Italian

You’re standing in a cafe in Bologna. The person behind the counter asks, “Come stai?” You know how to say “good,” but today you’re not just good. You’re a little tired, a little cold, and really looking forward to that cappuccino. How do you say that?

This is where the real conversations happen. It’s not about deep philosophy, but the small, human stuff that connects us. Being hungry, feeling stressed, being in a hurry, or just having a great day. These are the words that turn a simple transaction into a friendly chat.

We’ve gathered the most common ways to talk about how you're feeling. You'll find phrases for basic emotions, physical states like being hot or cold, and simple ways to agree, disagree, or say you're not sure. It's the glue that holds a conversation together.

Every phrase and audio clip has been recorded and double-checked by our native Italian speakers. So you can be sure you’re hearing it the way it’s actually said.