SpeeekDownload on the App Store
Back to With Friends

Italian Phrase

Quanto tempo che non ci vediamo! Come vanno le cose?

/ˈkwan.to ˈtem.po ke non tʃi veˈdja.mo ˈko.me ˈvanno le ˈko.ze/
Meaning"Long time no see! How are things going?"
💡

Meaning

Literally, “How long it’s been since we last saw each other! How are things going?” It’s a friendly, informal way to greet someone you haven’t seen in a while and ask about their current situation.

🎯

When to use

Use this phrase when you run into a friend, family member, or colleague after a period of not seeing each other. It works well in casual conversation, both in person and in messages.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Quantotempochenoncivediamo!Comevannolecose?

1

Quanto tempo

An idiomatic way to ask how long it’s been; literally “how much time”.

2

che (colloquial connector)

In Northern Italian speech, “che” links the time expression to the clause, similar to “since”.

3

non ci vediamo

Negative reflexive verb meaning “we don’t see each other”.

4

Come vanno le cose

Literally “how do the things go”, used to ask about general well‑being or situation.

🗨In Conversation

A

Quanto tempo che non ci vediamo! Come vanno le cose?

Long time no see! How are things going?

Sì, è passato un sacco! Sto bene, grazie. E tu?

Yeah, it’s been ages! I’m good, thanks. And you?

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Quanto tempo che non ci vediamo!

    In some regions the “che” is omitted; both are correct, but beginners often add it unnecessarily in formal writing.

  • Come vanno le cose?

    If you’re speaking about a single person, use “Come va la cosa?” or “Come stai?”. “Vanno” is plural and fits general situations.

↔Alternatives

  • È da tanto che non ci vediamo! Come stai?

    It’s been a long time since we saw each other! How are you?

  • Che tempo è passato! Che mi racconti?

    What a long time has passed! What have you been up to?

  • Da quanto tempo! Come vanno le cose?

    It’s been ages! How are things?

it

Cultural Tip

In Italian, the exclamation “Quanto tempo!” is a common idiom to express surprise at the length of separation. Adding “che” after “tempo” (Quanto tempo che…) is colloquial and typical in the North of Italy, while in the South you’ll hear “È da tanto che…”. Keep the tone light and friendly; avoid using it in very formal settings.