Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Asking the question
• Method 2 of 3: Answer the question
• Method 3 of 3: Reset the question

The normal way of asking in French "how are you?" is "comment allez-vous?" . However, there is more than one way to ask this question, and there are many ways to answer it too. Here are some useful and commonly used phrases.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Asking the question

1. Ask politely: “Comment allez-vous?” This standard sentence is used to ask how someone is doing. You can use it in any situation, but it is mostly said in formal situations, to strangers and the elderly.
   • The correct pronunciation of this sentence is come-man-tah-lee-voe.
   • Comment means "how".
   • Allez is a conjugation of the verb "aller", which means "to go".
   • Vous means "you" or "you".
   • A more literal translation would be "How are you?".
2. Ask friends or family "Comment ça va?This is a less formal way of asking how someone is, so only use it on someone you know.
   • You pronounce this sentence as come-man-saa-vaa.
   • Comment means "how".
   • Va is another conjugation of the verb aller, in other words to go.
   • If you used it separately ça a pronoun meaning "it".
   • The literal translation would be "How are you?".
3. Shorten the question and say "Ça va?A very informal way to ask how things are going is to simply ask “ça va?”.
   • Pronounce the question as saa-vaa.
   • The literal translation of this would be it's alright? In Dutch we also know such a greeting: "Are you okay?".
4. Change it to "Comment vas-tu?It looks like the formal, more polite form of the question, but this greeting is only used between friends.
   • Pronounce the question as come-man-vaa-tuu.
   • Comment means "how," vas is a conjugation of the verb "aller" en tu is "you".
   • Literally translated it is "How are you going?".

Method 2 of 3: Answer the question

1. Answer positively with "bien.The word “bien” means “good.” You can use it that way to say that it is going well, or you can use it as part of a sentence.
   • Pronounce it as bjehn.
   • "Je vais bien" is a longer answer, meaning "I'm fine".
   • "Très bien" means "very good".
   • "Bien, merci" means "good, thank you".
   • "Tout va bien" means "all is well".
   • "Assez bien" means "pretty good".
2. Answer negative with “mal.The word "mal" is also often given loosely as an answer. It means "bad".
   • Mold you pronounce as mold.
   • You can also use it in a longer sentence. "Je vais mal," means "I feel bad," or "I'm not doing well."
3. Use "Comme-ci comme-ca" if it's in between. This sentence means something like "I'm fine".
   • Pronounce this sentence as come-see-come-saa.

Method 3 of 3: Reset the question

1. Ask politely: "Et vous?". You can ask this question to someone after he / she has asked you how things are going, and after you have given your answer.
   • Et means "and."
   • The question literally means "And you?".
   • You can ask this question to anyone and in any situation, but especially in formal situations or to strangers and the elderly.
2. Ask friends or family "Et toi?This question is also used if the other has asked you how you are doing.
   • Toi here means "you".
   • This question is used in informal situations. Only use it with family or friends.