Italian Phrase
Che materie hai?
Meaning
Literally, 'What subjects do you have?' It is the common way to ask a classmate or a student which school subjects they are currently studying or have on their schedule.
When to use
Use this question when you want to know a peer's curriculum, discuss study groups, or compare class loads. It works in informal settings like school corridors, cafeterias, or online chat among students.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Chemateriehai
Che (what?)
Used to ask 'what' about a noun; it agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
materie (subjects)
Plural noun meaning 'subjects' (school subjects).
hai (second‑person singular of avere)
Verb 'avere' (to have) in present indicative, second person singular, used here to ask about possession of subjects.
Word order for questions
Italian often places the interrogative word at the beginning, followed by the noun and the verb, without needing inversion.
🗨In Conversation
Ciao Luca, che materie hai questo semestre?
Hey Luca, what subjects do you have this semester?
Ho matematica, fisica e storia. E tu?
I have math, physics and history. And you?
✕Common Mistakes
Che materie sei?
Do not use 'sei' (to be) here; you need the verb 'avere' to ask about possession of subjects.
Che materia hai?
If you refer to a single subject, use the singular 'materia'.
Che materie hai?
When speaking to a group, switch to 'avete' (second‑person plural).
↔Alternatives
Quali materie studi?
Which subjects are you studying?
Che corsi segui?
What courses are you taking?
Che materie ti piacciono?
What subjects do you like?
Cultural Tip
In Italian schools the word 'materia' refers to a school subject, not a material. When speaking to teachers, you might use the more formal 'Quali materie segue?' Students often shorten the question to 'Che materie hai?' in casual conversation. Remember that regional accents can affect pronunciation, especially the vowel in 'materie' (often a bit more open in the south).