When learning French, greeting someone is one of the first things you’ll want to master. Saying “How are you?” is a polite way to start a conversation and show interest in someone’s well-being. French has different ways to ask this question depending on how formal or informal the situation is.
In this article, you’ll learn how to say “How are you?” in French in both casual and formal settings. You’ll also discover various expressions used in everyday conversations. By the end, you’ll be ready to greet friends, coworkers, or even strangers with confidence in French.
Ways to Say “How Are You?” in French
There are many ways to ask “How are you?” in French, depending on the situation. Here are some common phrases with their meanings, pronunciations, and example sentences.
1. Comment ça va?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn sah vah
Meaning: How’s it going? (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça va, Paul? (How’s it going, Paul?)
- Salut! Comment ça va aujourd’hui? (Hi! How’s it going today?)
2. Ça va?
Pronunciation: sah vah
Meaning: Are you okay? / How are you? (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Ça va, Marie? (Are you okay, Marie?)
- Hé! Ça va ce matin? (Hey! How are you this morning?)
3. Comment allez-vous?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn tah-lay voo
Meaning: How are you? (formal)
In a Sentence:
- Bonjour, Monsieur. Comment allez-vous? (Good morning, sir. How are you?)
- Comment allez-vous aujourd’hui? (How are you today?)
4. Comment vas-tu?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn vah tew
Meaning: How are you? (informal, singular)
In a Sentence:
- Comment vas-tu, Sophie? (How are you, Sophie?)
- Je suis content de te voir! Comment vas-tu? (I’m glad to see you! How are you?)
5. Tu vas bien?
Pronunciation: tew vah byan
Meaning: Are you doing well? (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Tu vas bien après ton voyage? (Are you doing well after your trip?)
- Salut! Tu vas bien ce matin? (Hi! Are you doing well this morning?)
6. Vous allez bien?
Pronunciation: voo zah-lay byan
Meaning: Are you well? (formal)
In a Sentence:
- Madame, vous allez bien? (Ma’am, are you well?)
- Après le dîner, vous allez bien? (Are you well after dinner?)
7. Quoi de neuf?
Pronunciation: kwah duh neuf
Meaning: What’s new? (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Hé, quoi de neuf? (Hey, what’s new?)
- Quoi de neuf, Julie? (What’s new, Julie?)
8. Ça roule?
Pronunciation: sah rool
Meaning: How’s it going? (very informal)
In a Sentence:
- Ça roule, mon ami? (How’s it going, buddy?)
- Salut! Ça roule aujourd’hui? (Hi! How’s it going today?)
9. Ça bouge?
Pronunciation: sah booj
Meaning: What’s happening? (very informal)
In a Sentence:
- Salut! Ça bouge par ici? (Hey! What’s happening around here?)
- Ça bouge à la fête? (What’s happening at the party?)
10. Tout va bien?
Pronunciation: too vah byan
Meaning: Everything good?
In a Sentence:
- Tout va bien avec le projet? (Everything good with the project?)
- Tu es fatigué? Tout va bien? (Are you tired? Everything okay?)
11. Ça marche?
Pronunciation: sah marsh
Meaning: Is everything working out? (casual)
In a Sentence:
- Ton plan, ça marche? (Is your plan working out?)
- Ça marche au boulot? (Is everything working out at work?)
12. Comment se passe ta journée?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn suh pahs tah zhoor-nay
Meaning: How is your day going?
In a Sentence:
- Comment se passe ta journée jusqu’à présent? (How’s your day going so far?)
- Alors, comment se passe ta journée aujourd’hui? (So, how is your day going today?)
13. Ça gaze?
Pronunciation: sah gahz
Meaning: How’s it going? (slang)
In a Sentence:
- Hé! Ça gaze aujourd’hui? (Hey! How’s it going today?)
- Tout le monde, ça gaze? (Everyone, doing well?)
14. Comment se porte-t-il/elle?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn suh port teel/el
Meaning: How is he/she doing? (formal)
In a Sentence:
- Comment se porte-t-il après l’opération? (How is he doing after the operation?)
- Comment se porte-t-elle après ses examens? (How is she doing after her exams?)
15. Quoi de beau?
Pronunciation: kwah duh bo
Meaning: What’s good? (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Quoi de beau ce week-end? (What’s good this weekend?)
- Salut! Quoi de beau à la fête? (Hi! What’s good at the party?)
16. Comment ça se passe?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn sah suh pahs
Meaning: How’s it going? (general)
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça se passe au travail? (How’s it going at work?)
- Comment ça se passe avec tes études? (How’s it going with your studies?)
17. Comment ça roule?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn sah rool
Meaning: How’s it rolling? (very informal)
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça roule aujourd’hui? (How’s it rolling today?)
- Alors, comment ça roule après le match? (So, how’s it rolling after the game?)
18. Tu tiens le coup?
Pronunciation: tew tyan luh coo
Meaning: Hanging in there?
In a Sentence:
- Tu tiens le coup après cette longue journée? (Hanging in there after that long day?)
- Avec tout ce travail, tu tiens le coup? (With all this work, are you holding up?)
19. Comment ça va, toi?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn sah vah, twah
Meaning: How are you, yourself? (informal, emphasizing the person)
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça va, toi? (How are you?)
- Ça va bien, et toi? Comment ça va, toi? (I’m good, and you? How are you?)
20. Comment te sens-tu?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn tuh sahn tew
Meaning: How do you feel? (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Comment te sens-tu après ton entraînement? (How do you feel after your workout?)
- Après l’examen, comment te sens-tu? (After the exam, how do you feel?)
21. Vous portez-vous bien?
Pronunciation: voo por-tay voo byan
Meaning: Are you doing well? (formal, polite)
In a Sentence:
- Monsieur Dupont, vous portez-vous bien? (Mr. Dupont, are you doing well?)
- Après vos vacances, vous portez-vous bien? (After your vacation, are you well?)
22. Comment ça va ce matin?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn sah vah suh mah-tan
Meaning: How are you this morning?
In a Sentence:
- Bonjour! Comment ça va ce matin? (Good morning! How are you this morning?)
- Tu as bien dormi? Comment ça va ce matin? (Did you sleep well? How are you this morning?)
23. Ça va mieux?
Pronunciation: sah vah myeuh
Meaning: Are you feeling better?
In a Sentence:
- Tu étais malade hier. Ça va mieux aujourd’hui? (You were sick yesterday. Are you feeling better today?)
- Après le repos, ça va mieux? (After some rest, are you feeling better?)
24. Comment vont les choses?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn vohn lay shohz
Meaning: How are things going?
In a Sentence:
- Comment vont les choses au travail? (How are things going at work?)
- Alors, comment vont les choses avec le projet? (So, how are things going with the project?)
25. Comment va la famille?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn vah lah fah-mee
Meaning: How’s the family?
In a Sentence:
- Bonjour! Comment va la famille? (Hello! How’s the family?)
- J’espère que tout va bien. Comment va la famille? (I hope all is well. How’s the family?)
26. Comment ça se passe chez toi?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn sah suh pahs shay twah
Meaning: How are things at your place?
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça se passe chez toi ces jours-ci? (How are things at your place these days?)
- Tu es occupé? Comment ça se passe chez toi? (Are you busy? How are things at your place?)
27. Tu es en forme?
Pronunciation: tew eh ahn form
Meaning: Are you in good shape? / Feeling good?
In a Sentence:
- Tu es en forme pour le match? (Are you in good shape for the game?)
- Après le jogging, tu es en forme? (After the jog, are you feeling good?)
28. Tu es de bonne humeur?
Pronunciation: tew eh duh bun ew-mur
Meaning: Are you in a good mood?
In a Sentence:
- Tu es de bonne humeur ce matin? (Are you in a good mood this morning?)
- Après cette bonne nouvelle, tu es de bonne humeur? (After that good news, are you in a good mood?)
29. Tu vas comment?
Pronunciation: tew vah koh-mohn
Meaning: How are you doing? (informal, casual)
In a Sentence:
- Salut! Tu vas comment aujourd’hui? (Hi! How are you doing today?)
- Tu vas comment après le travail? (How are you doing after work?)
30. Comment était ta journée?
Pronunciation: koh-mohn eh-tay tah zhoor-nay
Meaning: How was your day?
In a Sentence:
- Comment était ta journée à l’école? (How was your day at school?)
- Alors, comment était ta journée? (So, how was your day?)
Other Ways to Say “How Are You?” in French
Here is a table of alternative ways to say “How are you?” in French, including pronunciations, meanings, and example sentences.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Ça va bien? | sah vah byan | Are you doing well? | Ça va bien après ton voyage? (Are you doing well after your trip?) |
| Vous allez comment? | voo zah-lay koh-mohn | How are you doing? (formal) | Vous allez comment, Madame Dupont? (How are you doing, Mrs. Dupont?) |
| Qu’est-ce qui se passe? | kes kee suh pahs | What’s happening? | Qu’est-ce qui se passe ici? (What’s happening here?) |
| Ça va toujours? | sah vah too-zhoor | Still doing well? | Ça va toujours au travail? (Still doing well at work?) |
| Ça se passe bien? | sah suh pahs byan | Is everything going well? | Ça se passe bien avec le projet? (Is everything going well with the project?) |
| T’es en forme? | tay ahn form | Are you in good shape? | T’es en forme pour le match? (Are you in good shape for the game?) |
| Tout roule? | too rool | Everything good? (slang) | Tout roule avec ton travail? (Everything good with your work?) |
| T’es OK? | tay oh-kay | Are you okay? | T’es OK après l’accident? (Are you okay after the accident?) |
| Comment ça avance? | koh-mohn sah ah-vahnss | How’s it coming along? | Comment ça avance avec ton projet? (How’s it coming along with your project?) |
| Ça baigne? | sah ben-yuh | How’s it going? (slang) | Hé! Ça baigne aujourd’hui? (Hey! How’s it going today?) |
| Ça farte? | sah fart | How’s it going? (very informal) | Ça farte, mon ami? (How’s it going, buddy?) |
| Comment va la vie? | koh-mohn vah lah vee | How’s life? | Comment va la vie depuis ton déménagement? (How’s life since you moved?) |
Responses to “How Are You?” in French
Here are some common ways to respond when someone asks “How are you?” in French, along with their meanings and example sentences.
1. Je vais bien.
Pronunciation: zhuh vay byan
Meaning: I’m doing well.
In a Sentence:
- Merci, je vais bien. Et vous? (Thank you, I’m doing well. And you?)
- Je vais bien après mes vacances. (I’m doing well after my vacation.)
2. Pas mal.
Pronunciation: pah mahl
Meaning: Not bad.
In a Sentence:
- Ça va? Pas mal, et toi? (How are you? Not bad, and you?)
- Je suis fatigué, mais pas mal. (I’m tired, but not bad.)
3. Comme ci, comme ça.
Pronunciation: kohm see kohm sah
Meaning: So-so.
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça va? Comme ci, comme ça. (How’s it going? So-so.)
- Ma journée était comme ci, comme ça. (My day was so-so.)
4. Ça va très bien!
Pronunciation: sah vah tray byan
Meaning: I’m very well!
In a Sentence:
- Comment allez-vous? Ça va très bien, merci! (How are you? I’m very well, thank you!)
- Après cette bonne nouvelle, ça va très bien! (After this good news, I’m doing very well!)
5. Ça va.
Pronunciation: sah vah
Meaning: I’m fine / It’s okay.
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça va? Ça va. (How are you? I’m fine.)
- Merci de demander. Ça va. (Thanks for asking. I’m fine.)
6. Je suis fatigué(e).
Pronunciation: zhuh swee fah-tee-gay
Meaning: I’m tired.
In a Sentence:
- Tu vas bien? Je suis fatigué après une longue journée. (Are you okay? I’m tired after a long day.)
- Après le travail, je suis toujours fatigué. (After work, I’m always tired.)
7. Bof!
Pronunciation: boff
Meaning: Meh! / Not great.
In a Sentence:
- Ça va? Bof! Pas trop bien aujourd’hui. (How are you? Meh! Not too well today.)
- Bof! J’ai eu une journée difficile. (Meh! I had a tough day.)
8. Je vais mieux.
Pronunciation: zhuh vay myeuh
Meaning: I’m feeling better.
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça va maintenant? Je vais mieux, merci. (How are you now? I’m feeling better, thanks.)
- Après du repos, je vais mieux. (After some rest, I’m feeling better.)
9. Super!
Pronunciation: soo-pehr
Meaning: Great!
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça va? Super! (How are you? Great!)
- Super! J’ai reçu de bonnes nouvelles. (Great! I got good news.)
10. Tout va bien.
Pronunciation: too vah byan
Meaning: Everything is fine.
In a Sentence:
- Comment ça se passe? Tout va bien! (How’s it going? Everything is fine!)
- Après la réunion, tout va bien. (After the meeting, everything is fine.)
11. Je suis stressé(e).
Pronunciation: zhuh swee stress-ay
Meaning: I’m stressed.
In a Sentence:
- Comment tu te sens? Je suis stressé à cause de l’examen. (How do you feel? I’m stressed because of the exam.)
- Cette semaine a été difficile. Je suis stressé. (This week has been tough. I’m stressed.)
12. Je suis heureux(se).
Pronunciation: zhuh swee uh-ruh(z)
Meaning: I’m happy.
In a Sentence:
- Comment vas-tu? Je suis heureuse aujourd’hui! (How are you? I’m happy today!)
- Je suis heureux de te voir! (I’m happy to see you!)
Exercise to Practice Saying “How Are You?” in French
Fill-in-the-Blanks
Complete each sentence with the correct French expression for “How are you?” from the phrases listed earlier.
- Bonjour, Madame Dupont! ____________________ aujourd’hui? (formal)
- Salut, Marie! ____________________ ? (informal)
- Après l’examen, ____________________ ? (Are you feeling better?)
- Hé, Paul! ____________________ à la fête? (What’s new?)
- Alors, Sophie, ____________________ après le voyage? (How are you after the trip?)
- Tu es fatigué? ____________________ ? (Is everything okay?)
- ____________________ , Monsieur Leblanc? (How are you doing?)
- Camille, ____________________ après l’entraînement? (How do you feel?)
- ____________________ ce matin, Emma? (How are you this morning?)
- Salut, Tom! ____________________ aujourd’hui? (How’s it going?)
- Bonjour! ____________________ après votre retour de vacances? (Are you doing well?)
- Salut, mon ami! ____________________ ? (Everything good?)
Answers
- Comment allez-vous aujourd’hui? (How are you today?)
- Ça va ? (How are you?)
- Ça va mieux ? (Are you feeling better?)
- Quoi de neuf à la fête? (What’s new at the party?)
- Comment ça va après le voyage? (How are you after the trip?)
- Tout va bien ? (Is everything okay?)
- Vous allez comment , Monsieur Leblanc? (How are you doing, Mr. Leblanc?)
- Comment te sens-tu après l’entraînement? (How do you feel after practice?)
- Comment ça va ce matin , Emma? (How are you this morning, Emma?)
- Ça roule aujourd’hui? (How’s it going today?)
- Tu vas bien après votre retour de vacances? (Are you doing well after your vacation?)
- Tout roule ? (Everything good?)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “How are you?” in French helps you start conversations and connect with people. Whether you are greeting a friend, meeting someone new, or talking to someone important, there is a phrase for every situation.
By practicing different expressions, you’ll sound polite, friendly, and confident. Remember to use formal phrases like “Comment allez-vous?” in professional or respectful settings and informal ones like “Ça va?” with friends.
Keep practicing, and soon asking “How are you?” in French will feel as natural as speaking in English. Bon courage!