![](\"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/word-image-scaled.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
One of the first things you need to know when speaking a foreign language is how to ask someone how they are. Knowing how to say how are you<\/em> in French can help to break the ice with strangers, show that you\u2019re well-mannered and is a great way to start a conversation.<\/p>\n There are different ways to ask this question depending on who you are speaking to, but first we\u2019re going to look at the term that can be used to address everyone.<\/p>\n This is a general way to ask anybody how they are. It literally means \u201chow does it go\u201d, but we would more likely say \u201chow\u2019s it going?\u201d There\u2019s a pretty standard response in that most people will respond \u201c\u00e7a va\u201d or \u201c\u00e7a va bien\u201d meaning \u201cit\u2019s going well\u201d, just like in English we usually say we\u2019re fine.<\/p>\n With regards to pronunciation, the \u2018t\u2019 at the end of comment <\/em>is not pronounced, and the ‘c’ with a cedilla accent (\u00e7) makes an \u2018ss\u2019 sound.<\/p>\n As mentioned above, \u201c\u00e7a va\u201d is a response to the question \u201chow are you\u201d in French, but it can also be the question itself. \u201cComment \u00e7a va\u201d, albeit common, is less common than it\u2019s abbreviated form \u201c\u00e7a va\u201d. There\u2019s a running joke amongst French learners that all you need are these two words to have an entire conversation. Here\u2019s a video<\/a> if you want to see what that would sound like.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of a short conversation that you might have with anyone you bump into, be it a friend, acquaintance, or even a stranger that you\u2019re meeting for the first time:<\/p>\n This cannot truly be considered slang as anybody and everybody can use it, but it’s certainly very informal. Once again, we\u2019re using the verb \u201cto go\u201d to ask how someone is doing, but this time we\u2019re going to personalize it and use the informal \u201ctu\u201d. This is used with family and friends as well as children, and older people sometimes use it to address younger people.<\/p>\n You may notice a lack of what one might call \u201cmanners\u201d in these conversations, and that\u2019s simply because the French, like many other nations, don\u2019t feel the need to add please and thank you to every conversation. Instead of \u201cI\u2019m fine, thanks\u201d they will just say \u201cI\u2019m fine\u201d and it\u2019s not considered rude or curt.<\/p>\n The second way to ask someone how they are with the informal \u201ctu\u201d is to simply state \u201cyou are well\u201d, but using the right intonation to transform it into a question.<\/p>\n The longer version of this sentence is \u201cest-ce que tu vas bien ?\u201d which means \u201care you well?\u201d or more literally \u201care you going well?\u201d. When it comes to small talk, the French keep things short and sweet, so it\u2019s far more common to hear the shorter sentence as a question.<\/p>\n To ask the question, simply use a higher pitch at the end of the sentence<\/strong>. French speakers often use this kind of intonation to ask a question without any question words or inversion.<\/p>\n The exact same rules apply as above when using formal French, but this time we\u2019re going to replace the subject \u201ctu\u201d with the politer version, \u201cvous\u201d.<\/p>\n When using \u201cvous\u201d, the verb must be conjugated to the new subject, so the question would be \u201ccomment allez-vous ?\u201d<\/p>\n The alternative question, \u201cest-ce que vous allez bien ?\u201d is once again shortened to \u201cVous allez bien ?\u201d.<\/p>\n This formal form can be used when speaking to strangers, people in positions of authority as well as people that are older than yourself, especially the elderly. What\u2019s more, this subject is also the plural form of \u201cyou\u201d, so you can use these questions to address more than one person at a time.<\/p>\n If you want to ask someone you know how they\u2019re doing, you could ask them what\u2019s new by saying \u201cquoi de neuf ?\u201d. It\u2019s not overly informal in the sense that if you say it to the wrong person it wouldn\u2019t be shockingly rude (as it would if you mistakenly used \u201ctu\u201d instead of \u201cvous\u201d), but it\u2019s definitely a casual way to speak to someone and shouldn\u2019t be used in formal situations.<\/p>\n Similar to \u201cquoi de neuf\u201d, this is a slightly prettier way to find out what\u2019s going on in someone\u2019s life. It\u2019s a more optimistic twist on the question \u201cwhat\u2019s going on?\u201d as it doesn\u2019t leave much room for a negative response.<\/p>\n If you need to say I am fine <\/em>in French, or better, I am good <\/em>in French, then look no further. A simple question requires a simple answer, so here are the easiest and most common responses to the question \u201c\u00e7a va ?\u201d:<\/p>\n If the question uses the subject and verb \u201caller\u201d for example \u201ctu vas bien ?\u201d or \u201ccomment allez-vous ?\u201d then you don\u2019t need to say \u201c\u00e7a va\u201d in your reply, you can simply use the adjective. Alternatively, you could say who <\/strong>is well, for example \u201cje vais bien\u201d or \u201cnous allons bien\u201d.<\/p>\n This is a slight variation of \u201c\u00e7a va bien\u201d, but instead of saying that \u201cit\u201d is going well, you want to emphasize that everything <\/em>is going well.<\/p>\n When asked how you\u2019re doing, you can always say how you\u2019re feeling.<\/p>\n While the French aren\u2019t famous for their weather-related small talk as is the case for the British, they do sometimes answer this question with a temperature related phrase.<\/p>\n To understand the use of these words, you must remember that the question how are you <\/em>in French is actually \u201chow is it going?\u201d so the answers mean \u201cit\u2019s going freshly\/coldly\/warmly\u201d. It\u2019s just a novel way to express that you\u2019re freezing in winter or boiling in summer.<\/p>\n If you want to spice it up a bit then there are several more quirky or elaborate responses.<\/p>\n There may not be an exact equivalent to this in English, but it\u2019s a figurative way to say that the cogs are turning, or that things are running smoothly.<\/p>\n Comme d\u2019habitude<\/em> means \u201cas usual\u201d and is often shortened colloquially to comme d\u2019hab<\/em>. When talking about how we are or how we feel, this could be translated as \u201csame as always\u201d or \u201csame as usual\u201d.<\/p>\n This can be used with a day or time when you have plans, or when it\u2019s the end of the week. You don\u2019t have to explicitly say that you\u2019re unhappy, but can say \u201cca ira mieux\u2026\u201d to show that you\u2019re looking forward to something. For example, on a Friday at work you could say \u201cca ira mieux ce soir\u201d because you\u2019re looking forward to the weekend or the end of the work day.<\/p>\n This is the perfect response for people pleasers. It\u2019s an endearing thing to say to people you know and can flatter those you don\u2019t know too well. You can swap \u201ctu\u201d for \u201cvous\u201d to be more polite, although be careful who you\u2019re speaking to, as it may sound sarcastic or creepy when used in the wrong circumstances.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for an alternative answer to ca va bien<\/em>, then this is a more complex answer. It could sound somewhat negative, but you can use this sentence more optimistically by adjusting your tone of voice and facial expression.<\/p>\n Once again, your tone of voice can influence the impact of this answer, but when said with a smile it sounds like you\u2019re appreciative of your life, which is why it\u2019s a great way to express how you\u2019re doing if you\u2019re trying to move beyond the basic answers.<\/p>\n Clozemaster <\/strong>has been designed to help you learn the language in context by filling in the gaps in authentic sentences. With features such as Grammar Challenges, Cloze-Listening, and Cloze-Reading, the app will let you emphasize all the competencies necessary to become fluent in French.<\/p>\n<\/a>How to say \u201chello, how are you?\u201d in French<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>\u00c7a va ?<\/em><\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>\u201cHow are you\u201d in French slang<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/a>\u201cHow are you doing\u201d in French<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>Quoi de neuf ? – What\u2019s new?<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>Quoi de beau ?<\/em> \u2013 What\u2019s beautiful?<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>How to reply to \u201chow are you\u201d in French<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/word-image-1-scaled.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
<\/a>Seasonal responses<\/h3>\n
\n
<\/a>Complex responses to \u201chow are you\u201d in French<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\nLearn French faster with Clozemaster \ud83d\ude80<\/div>\n