BBC Languages - Italian Language Notes - Formal

Tu come ti chiami?	What's your name? informal
Lei come si chiama?	What's your name? formal

Tu and Lei both mean "you".

Tu is informal, used when talking to someone your own age or younger, or someone you know well.

Lei is formal, used when talking to someone you don't know well or someone older than you.

If in doubt, use Lei, especially in a business situation or when addressing an older person. You may then be invited to use tu: Diamoci del tu?

The choice affects the ending of the verb linked to tu or lei, even when the actual words are not used.

Come ti chiami?	What's your name? informal
Come si chiama?	What's your name? formal
Cosa mangi?	What are you eating? informal
Cosa mangia?	What are you eating? formal

The word used to address more than one person, in a formal or informal way, is voi. The verb linked to it has another ending, too.

Voi come vi chiamate? Come vi chiamate?	What's your name? informal or formal, more than one person
Di dove siete?	Where are you from? informal or formal, more than one person
Cosa mangiate?	What are you eating? informal or formal, more than one person

Italian language notes