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PhrasesMeeting Someone NewDa quanto abiti qui?
A2informal

Da quanto abiti qui?

How long have you lived here?

Pronunciation

Smooth the phrase into one flow: da-KWAN-to-AH-bee-tee-KWEE. No hard stops between words.

When to use it

Follow-up to 'Dove abiti?' when you want to know if someone is a long-time resident or a newcomer. Natural at community events, language exchanges, or when meeting new neighbors.

What it means

Again using the 'da + present tense' structure for ongoing duration. 'Da quanto abiti qui?' is a contracted form of 'Da quanto tempo abiti qui?' — 'tempo' is often dropped in spoken Italian without changing the meaning.

Variations

Sei di recente in città?

Are you new to the city?

More casual — 'di recente' means 'recently'.

Ti sei trasferito/a qui da poco?

Did you move here recently?

'Trasferirsi' means to move/relocate — implies a more permanent move.

Vivi qui da sempre?

Have you always lived here?

Opposite angle — asks if they're a lifelong local.

Mini Dialogue

— Da quanto abiti qui a Torino? — Da due anni. Prima abitavo a Genova. — Come mai ti sei spostato? — Per lavoro. Ma Torino mi ha conquistato!

— How long have you lived here in Turin? — For two years. Before I lived in Genoa. — What made you move? — For work. But Turin won me over!

Cultural Note

Internal migration within Italy is significant — many southern Italians move north for work. This is a sensitive and proud topic; if someone has moved from south to north, they often maintain deep ties to their hometown.