Are you Carla's boyfriend/girlfriend?
'Fidanzato' = fi-dan-ZA-to, stress on third syllable. 'Carla' = CAR-la.
Use this when you think you recognise someone from descriptions. It immediately establishes a social connection through the mutual acquaintance and can open warm conversations about the shared friend.
'Fidanzato/a' means boyfriend/girlfriend or fiancé/fiancée in Italian — the same word covers both. Context clarifies which is meant. To be unambiguous about engagement: 'promesso sposo/a' (promised spouse). 'Sei tu' with emphatic 'tu' expresses recognition or confirmation.
Sento spesso parlare di te da parte di Carla.
I often hear Carla talk about you.
Warm opener acknowledging prior knowledge
Finalmente vi incontro di persona!
I finally meet you in person!
Excitement at meeting someone known by reputation
Carla mi ha detto così tante belle cose di te.
Carla has told me so many nice things about you.
Positive framing of prior knowledge
Italian romantic relationships are discussed openly among friend circles. Meeting a friend's partner for the first time is a social event of some significance — the group will form an opinion quickly and that opinion matters. Italian social circles are closely knit and approval from friends is important in Italian relationship culture.