как си/как сте

Asking How Someone Is

Level 1Sounds Like kak si/kak ste

Как си? and Как сте? both mean "How are you?". The verb changes with the person you are talking to.

How It Works

Asking:
Как си? – to a friend, a family member or a child
Как сте? – to a stranger, someone older, a customer, or two or more people
This follows ти и Вие, and the verb forms come from съм/си/е/сме/сте/са.

Answering:
Добре съм, благодаря. (I'm fine, thanks.)
Благодаря, добре. (Fine, thanks.)
Много добре! (Very well!)
Горе-долу. (So-so.)
Не съм добре. (I'm not well. See не + съм.)

Asking back: А ти? or А Вие? (And you?)

Добре, not добър: Добре means "well". Добър is an adjective meaning "good", so Добър съм means "I am a good person" or "I am good at it", not "I'm fine".

Casual versions: Friends also say Как е? (How's it going?) or Какво правиш? (What are you up to?).

Examples (6)

  1. Здравей! Как си?

    Hi! How are you?

    Word by Word: Hello! How are-you?

  2. Добър ден! Как сте?

    Hello! How are you?

    Word by Word: Good day! How are-you (polite)?

    Добър ден and Как сте? are both polite, so they suit someone you do not know well.

  3. Добре съм, благодаря. А ти?

    I'm fine, thanks. And you?

    Word by Word: Well I-am, thanks. And you?

  4. Благодаря, добре.

    Fine, thanks.

    Word by Word: Thanks, well.

  5. Деца, как сте днес?

    Kids, how are you today?

    Word by Word: Children, how are-you today?

    Сте is used here because the question is for a group.

  6. Не съм добре, болен съм.

    I'm not well, I'm sick.

    Word by Word: Not I-am well, sick I-am.

Common Mistakes

  • Answering with добър instead of добре.

    Добър съм, благодаря.
    Добре съм, благодаря.

    Добре means well. Добър съм means "I am a good person", which is not an answer to Как си?

  • Using е with ти.

    Как е ти?
    Как си?

    The verb съм changes with the person. With ти the form is си.

  • Mixing familiar си with a polite title.

    Как си, господин Петров?
    Как сте, господин Петров?

    Господин and госпожа call for the polite Вие form, so the question must be Как сте?

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

как си/как стеLevel 1Asking How Someone Is

Learn This First

Asking how someone is combines как with ти/Вие forms.

Words in This Pattern

как си