The standard expression for asking someone "How are you?" in French is "comment allez-vous?" However, there are various ways to ask this question and many ways to answer it. Here are some of the most useful ones used.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: First Method: Ask the Question
Step 1. Politely ask "Comment allez-vous?
”This is the standard phrase for asking a person how they are doing. It can be used in any context, although it is used more often in a formal way, when calling her to unknown or elderly people.
- Is it pronounced comòntalé vu?.
- Comment Means "like".
- Allez is the conjugate form of the verb "aller", which means "to go".
- Vous means "she".
- A more literal translation would be "How are you doing?"
Step 2. To friends and family, ask "Comment ça va?
It's a less formal way to ask someone how they're doing, so it should only be used with people you are familiar with.
- Is it pronounced comòn sa va?
- Comment means "like".
- Va is another conjugate form of the verb aller, which means "to go".
- By itself, ça is an indefinite pronoun.
- A more literal translation would be "How are you doing?"
Step 3. You can shorten the question and just say "Ça va?
It's a very casual way to ask someone how they're doing.
- Is it pronounced sa va?
- A more literal translation would be "Va?"
Step 4. You can ask "Comment vas-tu?
Although similar to the polite form, this expression is used in an informal context among friends.
- Is it pronounced comòn va tiu?
- Comment means "like", vas is a conjugate form of the verb "aller" and tu is equal to our "you".
- Literally translated, this expression means "How are you doing?"
Method 2 of 3: Second Method: Answer the Question
Step 1. Answer affirmatively with "bien"
The term "bien" means "good". You can use it on its own to say you're okay, or in a full sentence.
- It is pronounced bian.
- "Je vais bien" is a longer answer which means "I'm fine".
- "Très bien" means "very well".
- "Bien, merci" means "fine, thank you".
- "Tout va bien" means "all right".
- "Assez bien" means "pretty good".
Step 2. Answer in the negative with "mal"
Like its affirmative counterpart, it is ill often used as an answer by itself. Translated it means "bad".
- Badly pronounced badly.
- You can also use the term in a full sentence, "Je vais mal," which means "I'm sick" or "I'm not well".
Step 3. Use "Comme-ci comme-ca" when you are neither good nor bad
It's like saying "so so" in Italian.
It is pronounced comsì comsà"
Method 3 of 3: Third Method: Return the Question
Step 1. Ask politely "Et vous?
This question can be used to ask someone how they are after we have been asked the same thing and answered.
- Et means "and".
- It literally translates "And you?"
- You can use this question with anyone and in any context, but it is mostly used in formal situations or with unknown or elderly people.
Step 2. To friends and family, ask "Et toi?
This is also a question that can be used to ask someone how they are after we have been asked the same question and answered.
- Toi is equivalent to our "you".
- This question should be used in informal situations, between friends and family.
