French 1 / Unit 1: Greetings and Introductions
1.4 How Are You?
Notes
You can ask about feelings and answer with a short set phrase.
- Ça va ? (informal) = How's it going? Answer: Ça va bien.
- Comment allez-vous ? (formal) / Comment vas-tu ? (informal) = How are you?
- Answers: Très bien (very well), Ça va (fine), Comme ci, comme ça (so-so), Pas mal (not bad), Mal (bad).
- Return the question: Et toi ? (informal) / Et vous ? (formal) = And you?
| Français | English |
|---|---|
| Très bien, merci. | Very well, thank you. |
| Comme ci, comme ça. | So-so. |
| Pas mal, et toi ? | Not bad, and you? |
Practice
What does « Comme ci, comme ça » mean?
It describes an in-between feeling, "so-so".
A friend asks « Ça va ? » and you feel great. The best answer is:
Très bien means "very well", and « Et toi ? » returns the question to a friend.
Which question would you ask your grandmother's neighbor, an older stranger?
Use the formal vous form with an older stranger.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 1 test.