Che cosa in Italian is a phrase that means what in English. It is used to ask questions and is one of the standard ways to inquire about something in Italian. The phrase che cosa can be used interchangeably with just che or cosa in many contexts, although che cosa is often used when a bit more emphasis or formality is needed.
Usage Examples
- Che cosa fai? – What are you doing?
- Che cosa è successo? – What happened?
- Che cosa vuoi mangiare? – What do you want to eat?
In all these examples, che cosa is used to inquire about a specific action, event, or preference.
Simplified Forms
In everyday conversation, Italians often simplify che cosa to just che or cosa:
- Che fai? – What are you doing?
- Cosa è successo? – What happened?
These shortened forms are perfectly acceptable in most situations, especially in informal speech.
Conclusion
Che cosa is a versatile phrase in Italian that means what and is used to ask questions. It can be shortened to che or cosa without changing the meaning, depending on the level of formality or the speaker’s preference.