How Are You in French

Basic Expressions

"Comment allez-vous?" (formal) and "Comment vas-tu?" (informal) are the main ways to ask "how are you?" in French.

Formal Variations

1. "Comment allez-vous?" (How are you?)

• Used with strangers, elders, superiors
• Literally means "how do you go?"

2. "Comment vous portez-vous?" (How are you?)

• Very formal, elegant style
• Literally means "how do you carry yourself?"

Informal Variations

1. "Comment vas-tu?" (How are you?)

• Used with friends, family, children
• The everyday casual form

2. "Ça va?" (How's it going?)

• Ultra-casual, very common
• Literally means "it goes?"

Common Responses

Positive Responses

1. "Je vais bien, merci." (I'm well, thank you.)

• Standard positive response

2. "Ça va bien!" (It's going well!)

• Casual, upbeat response

3. "Très bien, merci." (Very well, thank you.)

• Slightly more formal, enthusiastic

Neutral Responses

1. "Ça va." (It's okay/fine.)

• Most common casual response

2. "Comme ci, comme ça." (So-so.)

• When things are average

3. "Pas mal." (Not bad.)

• Casual, moderately positive

Less Positive Responses

1. "Bof..." (Meh...)

• Indicates mild dissatisfaction

2. "Ça ne va pas." (It's not going well.)

• Direct way to express feeling unwell

3. "Je suis fatigué(e)." (I'm tired.)

• Common specific response

Cultural Context

• French people often ask "ça va?" twice in a conversation:

1. As a greeting
2. As a genuine question later

• It's polite to return the question: "Et vous?" (And you? - formal) "Et toi?" (And you? - informal)

Common Conversation Patterns

1. Formal Exchange:

• "Bonjour, comment allez-vous?"
• "Je vais bien, merci. Et vous?"
• "Très bien, merci."

2. Casual Exchange:

• "Salut! Ça va?"
• "Ça va, et toi?"
• "Ça va bien!"

3. Friend Exchange:

• "Hey, comment vas-tu?"
• "Pas mal! Et toi?"
• "Ça roule!"

Time-Specific Greetings

1. Morning: "Bonjour, comment allez-vous?"

2. Evening: "Bonsoir, comment allez-vous?"

Tips for Usage

• Always match formality level to situation
• Remember to add "merci" in formal situations
• Return the question - it's expected
• Use appropriate facial expressions
• Keep responses brief in casual situations

These expressions are central to French social interaction and used multiple times daily.

The key is choosing the right level of formality for your situation.