Italian Phrase
Quanti siete?
Meaning
A direct way to ask how many people are in the group you are speaking to. It is the equivalent of English “How many are you?” and is used when you need to know the size of a party.
When to use
Use this question when you are taking a reservation, arranging transport, or simply curious about the number of people in a group. It works in informal contexts; in a formal setting you might add a polite pronoun or title.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quantisiete?
Quanti (interrogative adjective)
Quanti is the masculine plural form of the interrogative adjective meaning “how many”. It must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies, even if the noun is implied.
siete (verb essere)
siete is the second‑person plural present of essere “to be”. It is used for “you (all) are”. In questions the verb stays in the same position as in statements.
Agreement
Because the subject is a group of people, the adjective Quanti and the verb siete are both plural masculine. If the whole group were female you would say Quante siete?
🗨In Conversation
Quanti siete?
How many are you?
Siamo quattro.
We are four.
✕Common Mistakes
Quanti è?
The verb must agree with the plural subject; use siete, not è.
Quanti sei?
Quanti is plural, so the verb must be plural too. Use siete for a group.
Quante siete?
Use Quante only when the whole group is female; otherwise Quanti is correct.
↔Alternatives
Quante persone siete?
How many people are you?
Quanti siete voi?
How many are you? (with explicit pronoun)
Quanti siete qui?
How many are you here?
Cultural Tip
In Italy it is common to ask Quanti siete? when you are booking a table at a restaurant, buying tickets, or arranging a taxi. The question is informal; in a more formal context you could say “Quanti siete, signori?” or use the polite form “Quanti siete voi?”. Remember that the adjective must match the gender of the group – use Quante siete? if the group is entirely female.