Italian Phrase
Che materie fai quest'anno?
Meaning
Literally, “What subjects are you doing this year?” It’s the everyday way to ask a classmate or friend which school subjects they will study during the current academic year.
When to use
Use it when you meet a fellow student, when you’re planning group study sessions, or simply to make small talk about school schedules. It’s informal, so reserve it for peers rather than teachers.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Chemateriefaiquest'anno?
Che
Interrogative pronoun meaning 'what' or 'which' used before a noun.
materie
Plural of 'materia', meaning 'subject' (school subject).
fai
Second‑person singular present of 'fare' used colloquially to mean 'to take' a class.
quest'anno
Contraction of 'questo anno' (this year); the apostrophe marks the elision of the vowel.
🗨In Conversation
Che materie fai quest'anno?
What subjects are you taking this year?
Faccio matematica, storia e inglese.
I’m taking math, history and English.
✕Common Mistakes
Che materie fai questo anno?
The correct form is the contracted 'quest'anno' because the vowel of 'questo' drops before the vowel of 'anno'.
Che materie fa quest'anno?
Using the third‑person form 'fa' sounds too formal for peers; stick with 'fai' unless you’re speaking to a teacher.
Che materia fai quest'anno?
When asking about multiple subjects you need the plural 'materie', not the singular 'materia'.
↔Alternatives
Quali materie studi quest'anno?
Which subjects are you studying this year?
Che materie segui quest'anno?
What subjects are you following this year?
Che materie hai quest'anno?
What subjects do you have this year?
Cultural Tip
In Italy, the word 'materia' is used for school subjects, not 'corso' (which refers to a course at university). The verb 'fare' is colloquial for 'to take' a class, so 'fai' is perfectly natural among friends. In a formal setting (e.g., speaking to a teacher), you would use 'fa' or rephrase with 'studia'.