Using google translate how can you say in English - what do you say? / what's new? what do you say ? You would use this when asking what a particular word or phrase is appropriate for a situation. what's new - this could be a greeting when people meet. Usually people who know each other and have not met for a period. But it also could be others as well. I hope that the English below, translates to the Italian below what are you doing these days ? cosa stai facendo in questi giorni? This phrase would not be a greeting, but would be during a conversation between people who know each other but have been apart for some time - usually a significant time, years perhaps. The people are said to be "catching up" with what each has been doing during the period.