How can I say "How are you?" in Italian?

Question

In English, it is usual to ask "How are you?" as a salutation. How can I say a similar thing in Italian?

Answer 1

Italians don't say "How are you?" (Come stai? / Come sta? / Come va?) as a salutation. They say Ciao! / Buon giorno! / Buona sera! / Salve! depending on the circumstances.

Answer 2

You can say "Come stai?" to someone you know or "Come sta" to someone who is unfamiliar or of a higher social position than you (i.e. professor, senior citizen).