Italian Phrase
Con chi sto parlando?
Meaning
Literally ‘With who am I talking?’, this phrase is used to ask the identity of the person you are currently speaking with, especially on the phone or in a noisy environment.
When to use
Use it when you pick up an unknown call, when you hear someone addressing you but you didn’t catch the name, or when you want to politely confirm who you’re conversing with in a professional setting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Conchistoparlando?
Con (preposition)
‘Con’ means ‘with’ and is used before the interrogative pronoun ‘chi’ to ask about the person you are with.
Chi (interrogative pronoun)
‘Chi’ means ‘who’ and is used for asking about a person’s identity.
Present progressive (stare + gerund)
Italian forms the present progressive with the verb ‘stare’ + gerund. Here ‘sto’ (first‑person singular of ‘stare’) + ‘parlando’ (gerund of ‘parlare’) means ‘I am talking’.
Verb‑subject agreement
The auxiliary ‘sto’ must agree with the subject ‘io’; never use ‘sono’ or ‘sei’ in this construction.
🗨In Conversation
Con chi sto parlando?
Who am I speaking with?
Sono Marco, ti chiami?
It’s Marco, may I have your name?
✕Common Mistakes
Con che sto parlando?
‘Che’ means ‘what/which’, not ‘who’. Use ‘chi’ for people.
Sto chi parlando?
The interrogative pronoun must come before the verb phrase.
Con chi sono parlando?
The auxiliary for the progressive is ‘stare’, not ‘essere’. Use ‘sto’ not ‘sono’.
Con chi sto parlare?
The gerund form is required after ‘sto’; ‘parlare’ is the infinitive.
↔Alternatives
Chi è?
Who is it?
Chi parla?
Who is speaking?
Con chi ho il piacere di parlare?
With whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?
Chi è al telefono?
Who is on the phone?
Cultural Tip
In Italy it’s common to ask ‘Chi parla?’ or ‘Chi è?’ on the phone, but ‘Con chi sto parlando?’ sounds a bit more formal and polite, especially in business calls. Remember to match the level of formality: use ‘Lei’ when speaking to strangers or older people, and ‘tu’ with friends or peers.