# Come sei messo/ siete messi?



## Ibiscus

Hello there!

Here another quite particular thread:

I'd like to ask: "come sono messi i tuoi amici?"

It's a very ironic, slighly derogatory, and absolutely informal way to ask (but actually it's not a question, rather a statement) "how bad+loser+wanker are your friends?"
But do you really say in slang English?

Thank you so much!!


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## Murphy

"What are your friends _like_??"

Said with a heavily ironic tone and emphasis on "like".


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## Ibiscus

Thank you Murphy!
But do you use it even for written dialogs (chats, emails....)?


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## Murphy

Ibiscus said:


> Thank you Murphy!
> But do you use it even for written dialogs (chats, emails....)?


Yes, you can Especially if you underline or write "like" in italics as I did.  It's like saying "what is wrong with your friends?".


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## Ibiscus

Thank you so much!! Yes, I did write it in italics!
Cheers, 
Ibiscus


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## rafanadal

Another question guys.
It is about the sentence we hear all the time in Italy which is the colloquial form to inquiry about someone's availabilty during the day.
Literally it would be "How are you put tomorrow?" but the real meaning is "What kind of schedule or (agenda???) do you have tomorrow and do you think you will have time to arrange for a meeting?"
Is there a colloquial correspondent in English?
What do you think of "What do you have on tomorrow?"


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## danalto

Bah, secondo me si potrebbe dire semplicemente
*"What's your schedule (for) tomorrow?"*
Ma aspettiamo -ovviamente- i natives!


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## You little ripper!

*How are you placed tomorrow?* is another more colloquial one.


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## rafanadal

So Charles would you rule out "What do you have on"?


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## jepsonclough

Not sure about "how are you placed ...." - maybe it's more Australian.

Your example was fine but you might also say:

How are you fixed [for] tomorrow?
Have you got* anything on tomorrow?
What have you got* on tomorrow?
Are you / would you be free [any time] tomorrow?
What are you doing tomorrow?

* _have you got_ is more British as opposed to US usage


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## You little ripper!

rafanadal said:


> So Charles would you rule out "What do you have on"?


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## rafanadal

Thanks. I like "how are you fixed for?".
It sounds colloquial the way I was lookin for and international (BrE + AmE + AusE). It can also  be easily moved to all persons, How is he fixed for, how are we fixed for and so on.


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## You little ripper!

> Not sure about "how are you placed ...." - maybe it's more Australian.


Jepsonclough, it is actually considered UK informal according to the Cambridge dictionary. 

_How are you placed for...? UK INFORMAL_
_How are you placed for Tuesday night (= Are you busy on Tuesday night)?_

Australians just like to shorten things, so we've deleted the *for*. __


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## pask46

Charles Costante said:


> Jepsonclough, it is actually considered UK informal according to the Cambridge dictionary.
> 
> _How are you placed for...? UK INFORMAL_
> _How are you placed for Tuesday night (= Are you busy on Tuesday night)?_
> 
> Australians just like to shorten things, so we've deleted the *for*. __


 In Italian we keep both forms:

come sei messo martedì?
come sei messo per martedì?

but there's a very slight difference... the latter sentence (with "per") has an extra meaning, as it implies there's yet a kind of date or meeting, and is used to ask wether the other person will be there.
The first is more generic, just asking about the day agenda.


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## jepsonclough

Well Charles, I'd certainly understand the meaning and it wouldn't sound wrong but I honestly don't think it is something that would be very widely used here.  As a simple rule of thumb _placed _gives about 200 google.co.uk hits and _fixed _about 1200.

It's a personal thing anyway isn't it?  Probably I would say "are you doing anything on Tuesday?" or "are you around on Tuesday?".

Cheers

Duncan


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## You little ripper!

jepsonclough said:


> Well Charles, I'd certainly understand the meaning and it wouldn't sound wrong but I honestly don't think it is something that would be very widely used here. As a simple rule of thumb _placed _gives about 200 google.co.uk hits and _fixed _about 1200.
> 
> It's a personal thing anyway isn't it? Probably I would say "are you doing anything on Tuesday?" or "are you around on Tuesday?".
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Duncan


Duncan, I would probably say something like, *What's your schedule like tomorrow?.* The only reason I suggested it is because *rafandal* asked for something colloquial and also because it's a literal translation of the Italian sentence.


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## brian

I've never heard "placed" or "fixed" in this context in (American) English. I'd most likely say: _What's your day like tomorrow?_


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## Einstein

_How are you placed?_ sounds normal enough to me as a BE speaker.


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## Tristano

brian8733 said:


> I've never heard "placed" or "fixed" in this context in (American) English. I'd most likely say: _What's your day like tomorrow?_



I agree with the above for AE.  I have _never_ heard "placed" or "fixed" in this context in AE.

I also like Danalto's suggestion:

*What's your schedule (for) tomorrow?*

oppure

*What is your schedule like tomorrow?*

Tristano


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## rafanadal

brian8733 said:


> I've never heard "placed" or "fixed" in this context in (American) English. I'd most likely say: _What's your day like tomorrow?_


 
Interesting. Would you also say "What's the boss' day like today?" to mean "Do you think I have a chance to talk to him today?"


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## jepsonclough

Being colloquial is really difficult isn't it?  Especially when the right colloquialism varies so much across the English speaking world.

In BE, _schedule _is probably fine for business but you wouldn't use it socially secondo me.

*Would you also say "What's the boss' day like today?" to mean "Do you think I have a chance to talk to him today?" *
Both are great (I assume you're asking his secretary / assistant).  However we would almost certainly say _boss's_, not _boss'_ (despite what the books may say is technically correct.)


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## Tristano

jepsonclough said:


> Being colloquial is really difficult isn't it?  Especially when the right colloquialism varies so much across the English speaking world.
> 
> In BE, _schedule _is probably fine for business but you wouldn't use it socially secondo me.
> 
> *Would you also say "What's the boss' day like today?" to mean "Do you think I have a chance to talk to him today?" *
> Both are great (I assume you're asking his secretary / assistant).  However we would almost certainly say _boss's_, not _boss'_ (despite what the books may say is technically correct.)



Yes, this is all fine. It would have to be *boss's*.

What's the boss's day like today? 
What's the boss's schedule like today? 

Tristano

Boss's Day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boss_day


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## rafanadal

jepsonclough said:


> Being colloquial is really difficult isn't it? (I assume you're asking his secretary / assistant).


 
Yeah right!
It happens all the time to hear in Italy "Com'è messo il direttore oggi?"


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## anglomania1

Tristano said:


> I agree with the above for AE. I have _never_ heard "placed" - I've never heard of this either!! or "fixed" - I've heard this a lot, I might even say "how are you set" .
> 
> I also like Danalto's suggestion:
> 
> *What's your schedule (for) tomorrow?** - *the use of schedule makes it sound quite formal/businesslike (I wouldn't use it with a friend, for example) so these examples are fine in certain contexts.
> If it's more informal, I'd say
> what have you got on tomorrow
> Are you busy tomorrow
> Have you got a busy day tomorrow/what sort of day have you got tomorrow
> What are you doing tomorrow etc
> Anglo
> 
> oppure
> 
> *What is your schedule like tomorrow?*
> 
> Tristano


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## RobertdiLondra

Great thread Rafa ! 

I wouldn't use "placed" myself but would understand it. I don't tend to use schedule either as being English I prefer the phrases Duncan suggests. 

Just a thought to be aware that if you want to sound like a local there is a great difference in how to pronouce schedule. In England we say "shed-yule" but I think in the USA you say "sked-ule" and in Oz .... ? Either way it would be understood.


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## Tristano

I am confused anglomania1, because the use of red generally indicates an error or an ungrammatical construction... (?)

Tristano


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## Einstein

RobertdiLondra said:


> In England we say "shed-yule" but I think in the USA you say "sked-ule" and in Oz .... ? Either way it would be understood.


I'm not an inverted nationalist and don't rush to adopt every americanism I encounter, but in this case I think the American pronunciation is far more logical; it's not a German word.


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## anglomania1

Einstein said:


> I'm not an inverted nationalist and don't rush to adopt every americanism I encounter, but in this case I think the American pronunciation is far more logical; it's not a German word.


 
Oh dear!
If we start talking about logical pronunciation I believe we will have to change 90% of English pronunciation!!!!
Anglo

PS for Tristano's comment about red for corrections - I'm so sorry, I didn't realise! I just use it to make comments next to what people have written (red just so it stands out!) - I'll use a different colour in future!
Anglo


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## jepsonclough

I'm probably going slightly off topic here but we seem to be having an interesting discussion on the general subject of colloquialisms.  I've been looking through the forum and can't find a thread specifically on this.  Do you think it would be useful to start a thread on how to use colloquialisms without (to use an English colloquialism) making yourself look a prat?


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## You little ripper!

jepsonclough said:


> In BE, _schedule _is probably fine for business but you wouldn't use it socially secondo me.


Duncan,  I would use *schedule* in a non-business situation. I'm not sure whether this is a personal or an AusE thing. It could be because most people I know have hectic schedules. 



> In England we say "shed-yule" but I think in the USA you say "sked-ule" and in Oz .... ?


Robert, Australians generally follow the British as far as language goes, but with so many American shows on T.V. here you hear both pronunciations.


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## Tristano

In AE we say "skedule".


Tristano


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## jepsonclough

Charles - I'd say I had a hectic schedule too but I probably wouldn't enquire about a friend's schedule when making social arrangements.


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## rafanadal

Just a word to thank RobertdiLondra for appreciating the thread. I think this is exactly what this website is for. To help people work out those REALLY difficult linguistic obstacles the no (or few) dictionaries can help you with. And these obstacles (according to each person's curiosity of course) are sooo many!!!


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## danalto

Charles Costante said:


> Duncan,  I would use *schedule* in a non-business situation. I'm not sure whether this is a personal or an AusE thing. It could be because most people I know have hectic schedules.


I do, really do agree with Charles!
That's why I choose that word myself...


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## jepsonclough

Danalto: I agree with both you and Charles if that's what you would do but it's not what I would do.  That's the beauty of thinking about language seriously - it has rules and it has usages but it also has personal / individual ways of doing things.  So Charles is perfectly correct if he chooses to use schedule in his way and I, I believe, am equally correct in making a different choice.


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## danalto

jepsonclough said:


> Danalto: I agree with both you and Charles if that's what you would do but it's not what I would do...


Jep, this is a matter of nuances.
Obviously, I'm not a native, and I just hope to say the right things in the right way!
But to me, what I suggested it's what I would say in almost every context.

_Don't you all think that the words we choose has a lot to do with our character?_


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## rafanadal

And now we're entering a brand new thread, that is "speaking according to what we feel it's best". (or personal idiosincracies)
The real problem is that nuances of meaning vary in an extremely subtle way. For instance I tend to say "ti ringrazio" instead of "grazie" because to me it sounds, how shall I say, "warmer", conveying my gratitude more convincingly.
What's the english solution for "ti ringrazio". It's so kind of you?


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## Tristano

rafanadal said:


> And now we're entering a brand new thread, that is "speaking according to what we feel it's best". (or personal idiosincracies)
> The real problem is that nuances of meaning vary in an extremely subtle way. For instance I tend to say "ti ringrazio" instead of "grazie" because to me it sounds, how shall I say, "warmer", conveying my gratitude more convincingly.
> What's the english solution for "ti ringrazio". It's so kind of you?


 
This is probably a new thread: "That's very kind of you," -- "Thank you very much," and even "I thank you," which is a bit odd-sounding but can work in certain situations.

Back to the topic: I have no problem using "schedule" in an everyday, non-business context. Direi ad un amico: "What's your schedule like this week? / Come sei messo questa settimana?"

Tristano


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## anglomania1

Tristano said:


> Back to the topic: I have no problem using "schedule" in an everyday, non-business context. Direi ad un amico: "What's your schedule like this week? / Come sei messo questa settimana?"
> 
> Tristano


 
Hello, 
I think this must be one of the MANY differences between AE and BE, then!
For me, schedule is only for work/business and if I asked a friend about his schedule, he'd tell me what he's got on at work and not what he's doing socially.
Anglo


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## You little ripper!

jepsonclough said:


> Charles - I'd say I had a hectic schedule too but I probably wouldn't enquire about a friend's schedule when making social arrangements.


Duncan, I said that I use *schedule* in a non-business situation probably because _most people I know_ have a hectic schedule; my own schedule is irrelevant in this case. I wouldn't use it if I were speaking to a friend of mine who happened to be on the dole or retired, and I knew that s/he did not have a hectic schedule. I would probably say,* What are you doing/up to tomorrow? *


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## Einstein

I agree with Anglo here. In BE "schedule" sounds too business-like.

How about "What are your plans for this week?"


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## jepsonclough

So I think we have established that the Brits wouldn't use it socially, the Americans would and the Australian[s] are somewhere in the middle, depending on the specific circumstances of whose schedule it is.  

You might say that that sums up where these three versions of our common language are on a more general basis.  Or not?

To Charles:
     Quote:
                                                                      Originally Posted by *jepsonclough* 

 
                 Charles - I'd say I had a hectic schedule too but I probably wouldn't enquire about a friend's schedule when making social arrangements.

Duncan, I said that I use *schedule* in a non-business situation probably because _most people I know_ have a hectic schedule; my own schedule is irrelevant in this case. I wouldn't use it if I were speaking to a friend of mine who happened to be on the dole or retired, and I knew that s/he did not have a hectic schedule. I would probably say,* What are you doing/up to tomorrow?  * I'm not saying my schedule (or yours) is actually hectic but just that the time I *might *use the word socially would be if I were talking about having a hectic schedule myself (but not, I think if I were talking about not being busy - I wouldn't say I had a quiet schedule).


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## You little ripper!

jepsonclough said:


> So I think we have established that the Brits wouldn't use it socially, the Americans would and the Australian[s] are somewhere in the middle, depending on the specific circumstances of whose schedule it is.
> 
> You might say that that sums up where these three versions of our common language are on a more general basis. Or not?


 I agree, but I'm only one Australian! Maybe another will come along and contradict me!


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## brian

The thing with AE, at least for me, is that the use of "schedule" really does have something to do with work, school, etc. It is *not* the same to ask, "What are you plans for tomorrow?" and "What is your schedule like tomorrow?"

The former is more general, asking simply what the person plans to do tomorrow. The latter, however, at least for me, is geared more towards "important things," e.g. school, work, errands, etc... what one _has_ to do, as opposed to simply what one has _planned_ to do.


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## Veronika123

Ciao, ho un post riguardo quest´espressione... Un amico mio italiano mi ha scritto un messaggio "venerdi come sei messa?" quando ci fissavamo l´appuntamento.. quindi ho capito che questa espressione si puo usare anche nel senso "hai tempo / what about Friday - do you have time"? non mi sembra un senso ironico questo .-))


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## Paulfromitaly

Veronika123 said:


> Ciao, ho un post riguardo quest´espressione... Un amico mio italiano mi ha scritto un messaggio "venerdi come sei messa?" quando ci fissavamo l´appuntamento.. quindi ho capito che questa espressione si puo usare anche nel senso "hai tempo / what about Friday - do you have time"? non mi sembra un senso ironico questo .-))



Niente ironia, vuole solo sapere che impegni hai Venerdi.


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## jepsonclough

And, in English (or just BE?), we might say exactly the same: "how are fixed on Friday?"  Not very commonly used but I think it would be understood.


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## gandolfo

Hi jepson


> "how are fixed on Friday?"




I think I'd say  "How are you fixed for Friday?"


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## You little ripper!

gandolfo said:


> Hi jepson   I think I'd say  "How are you fixed for Friday?"


I was thinking exactly the same thing as I was reading jc's post, Betty. 'For' is what most people say here, but occasionally you do hear 'on'.


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## jepsonclough

Thinking about, I might use either. Do you think they might have subtly different meanings:

how are fixed on Friday? - are you doing anything on Friday - i.e. are you available? (fairly general )
how are fixed for Friday? - I am thinking of asking you to do something on Friday, would you be able to? (more specific)

Or maybe I'm making up distinctions where none really exist


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## gandolfo

Hi Chazza and Jepson
My "" was not really for "on" or "for" but the lack of the subject  you/we/they etc or "things"........


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## Einstein

jepsonclough said:


> how are fixed on Friday? - are you doing anything on Friday - i.e. are you available? (fairly general )
> how are fixed for Friday? - I am thinking of asking you to do something on Friday, would you be able to? (more specific)


I agree completely. _How are you fixed for Friday?_ means _How are you fixed for that event on Friday that we've already discussed_, e.g. _How are you fixed for the match on Friday?_


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## You little ripper!

gandolfo said:


> Hi Chazza and Jepson
> My "" was not really for "on" or "for" but the lack of the subject  you/we/they etc or "things"........


So we weren't thinking the same thing!  I think jc's keyboard probably has a mind of its own.


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## london calling

Einstein said:


> I agree completely. _How are you fixed for Friday?_ means _How are you fixed for that event on Friday that we've already discussed_, e.g. _How are you fixed for the match on Friday?_


Me too, gentlemen!.

Natives, anche dalle vostre parti esiste questa battuta?:

D.: Come sei messa/o?
R.:Seduta/o!


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## gandolfo

Charles Costante said:


> So we weren't thinking the same thing!  I think jc's keyboard probably has a mind of its own.



Time difference Chas....(among other enigmatic things)

As for the "for" "on" difference I agree with jeps and einstein...depends on previously agreed/discussed things or general enquiry...


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## You little ripper!

gandolfo said:


> Time difference Chas....(among other enigmatic things)
> 
> As for the "for" "on" difference I agree with jeps and  einstein...depends on previously agreed/discussed things or general  enquiry...


I personally wouldn't use 'on' with 'fixed'- I would say, 'How are you placed on Friday?', as I've already stated in a previous post.


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## anglomania1

Charles Costante said:


> I personally wouldn't use 'on' with 'fixed'- I would say, 'How are you placed on Friday', as I've already stated in a previous post.


Hi there Charles, 
I don't think that "ON" is really linked so strongly to "fixed" - it's just the normal preposition for days and dates:
What are you doing ON Friday?
Where are you going ON the 19th?
Boh - just a thought, 
Anglo


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## You little ripper!

anglomania1 said:


> Hi there Charles,
> I don't think that "ON" is really linked so strongly to "fixed" - it's just the normal preposition for days and dates:
> What are you doing ON Friday?
> Where are you going ON the 19th?
> Boh - just a thought,
> Anglo


Sounds logical, Anglo. It's starting to feel more comfortable to me, having said it a few times in my head. It certainly sounds better than, _What have you got on on Friday? _


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