Italian for Beginners: Confirm Plans with 'Per me va bene' and 'Mi sta bene'
Learn to agree to proposed plans in Italian using 'Per me va bene' and 'Mi sta bene', and understand how this differs from accepting an invitation.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
When you're making plans with someone in Italian, you often need to say that a suggested time, place, or activity works for you. This is different from simply accepting an invitation. In a negotiation, you're confirming that the details are okay. The two most common phrases for this are 'Per me va bene' (That works for me) and 'Mi sta bene' (Sounds good to me). In this lesson, you'll learn these phrases, how to use them naturally, and how they fit into a conversation where you're deciding on plans together.
By the end, you can…
- confirm that a proposed plan works for me using 'Per me va bene'.
- express agreement with 'Mi sta bene' in a negotiation about plans.
- distinguish between accepting an invitation and confirming details of a plan.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Per me va bene.
That works for me.
per meh vah BEH-neh
Use when you want to say that a proposed time, place, or activity is okay for you. It's neutral and common in both formal and informal contexts.
Mi sta bene.
Sounds good to me. / It's fine by me.
mee stah BEH-neh
Similar to 'Per me va bene', but slightly more casual. Often used to agree to a suggestion without further negotiation.
Va bene, per me.
Okay, for me it's fine.
vah BEH-neh, per meh
A variation of 'Per me va bene' with the same meaning. The word order can change for emphasis.
Per me va benissimo.
That works great for me.
per meh vah beh-NEES-see-moh
Use the absolute superlative 'benissimo' to show stronger enthusiasm or agreement.
D'accordo.
Agreed. / Okay.
dahk-KOR-doh
A general expression of agreement. It can be used to confirm plans, but it's less specific than 'Per me va bene'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The phrase 'Per me va bene' literally means 'For me, it goes well.' You can replace 'bene' with other adverbs to change the degree of agreement: 'Per me va benissimo' (It works great for me), 'Per me va male' (It doesn't work for me). The subject is often omitted because it's clear from context. For example, if someone says 'Ci vediamo alle 8?' (Shall we meet at 8?), you can reply 'Per me va bene' (That works for me). Note that 'Per me va male' is used to say something doesn't suit you, but it can sound blunt; a softer alternative is 'Per me non va bene' (It doesn't work for me).
When to use it
Use these phrases when you are negotiating details of a plan, such as time, date, or place. They confirm that the suggestion is acceptable. In contrast, accepting an invitation is more like saying 'Sì, vengo' (Yes, I'll come) or 'Volentieri' (Gladly). For example, if a friend asks 'Ti va di andare al cinema?' (Do you feel like going to the cinema?), you could accept with 'Sì, volentieri' (Yes, gladly). But if they propose a specific time, like 'Alle 9?' (At 9?), you confirm with 'Per me va bene' (That works for me).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ciao! Allora, per sabato sera, ti va di andare a mangiare una pizza?
Hi! So, for Saturday evening, do you feel like going to eat a pizza?CHAH-oh! ahl-LOH-rah, per SAH-bah-toh SEH-rah, tee vah dee ahn-DAH-reh ah mahn-JAH-reh OO-nah PEET-tsah?Sì, mi piacerebbe! A che ora?
Yes, I'd like that! At what time?see, mee pyah-cheh-REB-beh! ah keh OH-rah?Alle 8 e mezza?
At 8:30?AHL-leh OH-toh eh MED-dzah?Per me va bene. Ci vediamo lì!
That works for me. See you there!per meh vah BEH-neh. chee veh-DYAH-moh LEE!A little context goes a long way
In Italian, 'Per me va bene' and 'Mi sta bene' are very common in everyday conversation. They are neutral in register and can be used with friends, family, and acquaintances. In more formal situations, such as with a business colleague, you might say 'Per me va bene' as well, but you could also use 'Per me è ok' (For me it's okay) or 'Per me è perfetto' (For me it's perfect). Note that in some southern regions, people might use 'Mi sta buono' instead of 'Mi sta bene', but this is dialectal and not standard Italian.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Mi piace' to mean 'That works for me' when confirming plans.
Try this instead: 'Mi piace' means 'I like it', which expresses a preference, not agreement to a plan. For confirming, use 'Per me va bene' or 'Mi sta bene'. For example, if someone suggests a time, say 'Per me va bene', not 'Mi piace'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'That works for me' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Per me va bene.
This is the standard phrase. You could also say 'Mi sta bene' or 'Per me va benissimo' for stronger agreement.
2Your friend suggests meeting at 6 PM. You want to agree. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Per me va bene.
This confirms that the time works for you. Alternatively, 'Mi sta bene' is also correct.
3What is the difference between 'Per me va bene' and 'Volentieri'?
Show a sample answer
'Per me va bene' confirms that a proposed plan is acceptable, while 'Volentieri' means 'gladly' and is used to accept an invitation.
The former is for negotiating details, the latter for accepting an offer. Both are valid in different contexts.
Use 'Per me va bene' or 'Mi sta bene' to confirm that a proposed plan works for you. Remember, this is different from accepting an invitation with 'Volentieri' or 'Sì, vengo'.
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