Greetings in French: how are you?

November Grammar Corner: “Greetings in French”
Think French Grammar Corner is brought to you by Camille Chevalier-Karfis. Camille has
been teaching adults in private and group classes for over 15 years. After years of observing her students struggle with existing teaching methods, Camille developed her own
French method geared towards adult speakers. To complement this unique teaching approach, Camille has written two audio books and has created more than 60 hours of French
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Greetings in French: how are you?
“Ça va bien” or “Je vais bien”? This is basic French, but there is so many ways to ask “how
are you” in French that it can be quite confusing. This lesson -with realistic dialogues- will
help you gain speed when greeting someone in French, and master the pronunciation of all
these French expressions.
Before reading this, you should understand the difference between tu and vous. It is VERY
complex, much more than just formal and informal. (To review the differences between “tu
and vous” refer to the July Grammar Lesson in Think French!) Now, French people ask “how
are you” only to people they are acquainted to. Not to a random cashier in a supermarket,
as it’s done in the US.
1 - If you are using vous
Comment allez-vous ? How are you? Note the strong liaison “coman Tallay voo”
Je vais bien, merci, et vous ? I’m well, thanks, and you. Don’t forget to thanks and send the question right back. This is absolutely expected if you don’t want to appear rude.
Dialogue: You are walking down the street and meet the realtor that rented you your appartment.
-
Bonjour Madame Dupont.
Bonjour Madame, comment allez-vous ?
Je vais bien, merci, et vous ?
Je vais bien merci. Bonne journée.
Vous aussi. Au revoir Madame.
Au revoir Madame.
2 - If you are using tu - in a more formal environment
Comment vas-tu ? How are you ?
Je vais bien, merci, et toi ? I’m well, thanks, and you. Don’t forget to thanks and send the question
right back. This is absolutely expected if you don’t want to appear rude.
Note that if you were talking to more than one person you’d say “je vais bien, merci, et vous” (plural).
Dialogue : You meet up with a new friend at a restaurant for dinner.
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Bonsoir Anne.
Ah, bonsoir Camille, comment vas-tu ?
Je vais bien, merci, et toi ?
Je vais bien, merci.
Think French - Issue 11
3 - If you are using tu - in an informal situation
but with people you see regularly, whether you are using tu or vous with the person, you can also use
ça va.
Comment ça va ? -or just- ça va ? Are you OK ?
Ça va, merci, et toi/et vous ? I’m fine, and you ?
Ça va bien, merci. Fine, thanks.
Dialogue : Madame Durand greets her cleaning lady, madame Lemoine.
- Bonjour Madame Lemoine, ça va ?
- Ça va bien, merci, et vous.
- Ça va bien, merci.
Dialogue : Sophie meets her friends Anne and Delphine in front of their school.
- Salut ! Ça va ?
- Ça va, et toi ?
- Ça va.
4 - More remarks
You can change the adverbs to modify your answers : the words you choose will send cues to your
interlocutor.
je vais/ça va bien : I’m fine.
je vais/ça va très bien : I’m doing great.
je vais/ça va assez bien/pas mal: I’m OK (but really something is troubling me a bit, but you don’t
have to ask me about it).
je vais/ça va comme-ci, comme-ça : I’m not too good (and really, I would like you to ask me why
:-) typical follow up would be “Ah bon? Pourquoi ?” really ? why ?
je vais/ça va mal : I’m not well. If you say that, you are expected to explain why right away. And
it is pretty dramatic. “Je vais mal. Je suis malade” I’m not well. I’m sick.
And you don’t always have to use je vais/ça va, you can also answer using only the adverb.
- comment ça va ? / comment vas-tu ?
- bien merci, et toi ?
- pas mal, merci.
Note that the verb used for all these greetings is the verb “aller”, to go.
Je vais, tu vas, elle/il/on va, nous allons, vous allez, ils vont.
-
Comment vont vos enfants ? How are your children ?
Ils vont bien, merci.
Comment allez-vous ?
Nous allons bien, merci.
These questions apply to people and things.
- Comment va votre travail ? How is your work ?
- Ça va très bien, merci.
w w w . thinkfrench.com
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November Grammar Lesson Continued...
Cultural Remark:
The French usually greet their friends with a first round of quick “ça va”, just to check that everybody
is OK. Then, as they seat down, they ask the question again, this time more as an “what’s going on
in your life” kind of question. It is then OK to speak more about yourself.
Dialogue: Pierre arrives at his friend Henri’s house.
-
Salut Pierre !
Salut Henri, ça va ?
Bien, et toi ?
ça va, merci.
(Pierre walks inside and they have a seat).
- Alors, comment ça va ?
- Bien, bien, merci. Sophie et moi revenons de Boston. C’était super..... (talks about the
trip).... et toi ? Comment vas-tu ?
- oh, moi, ça va bien aussi : je vais enfin partir en vacances la semaine prochaine.....
In an informal setting, you can also use the expression “quoi de neuf?”: what’s new ?
Note the pronunciation “Koad neuf “
A typical answer is “rien de spécial” : nothing much :-)
How well do you understand French greetings? Test yourself with this little
quiz - choose the correct translation or, if the question and answers are both in
French, choose the best way to respond.
1) See you tomorrow:
b) À demain
c) À la prochaine
d) Comme ci, comme ça
2) Ça va bien:
a) I’m doing well b) So so
3) Good night:
a) Pas grand-chose
4) Good evening:
a) Bonsoir
5) Comment vas-tu ?:
a) How are you?
6) Good-bye:
a) Au revoir
7) See you soon:
a) Pas mal
8) Ça va ?:
a) How are you? (formal) b) How are you? (informal) c) What’s new? d) A and B
9) À demain:
a) Hello
10) Comment vas-tu ?:
a) Bonjour
11) Until next time:
a) Comment allez-vous ?
12) Je vais bien:
a) I’m fine
13) What’s new?:
a) Comment allez-vous ?
14) À la prochaine:
a) Good morning
15) À tout à l’heure:
a) See you tomorrow
b) Bonne nuit
b) Bonjour
c) Bonsoir
c) À la prochaine
d) Bonjour
d) Pas mal
b) What’s new?c) Where are you going?d) What are you doing?
b) Quoi de neuf ?
b) À bientôt
b) Good-bye
c) Adieu
d) Je vais bien
d) Ça va
c) Good night
d) See you tomorrow
c) Pas grand-chose d) B and C
d) Bonne nuit
d) I’m not well
b) Comment vas-tu ?
b) It’s time to go
d) Quoi de neuf ?
c) See you next time
c) See you soon
6) a
b) See you tomorrow
c) Ça va ?
5) a
c) So so
c) À la prochaine
4) a
b) Not bad
b) Ça va mal
d) Bye
d) Bye
3) b
b) Ça va
c) Bonne nuit
2) a
7) b
8) b
9) d
10) b
11) c
12) a
13) d
14) c
15) c
Think French - Issue 11
c) See you soon d) Not bad
ANSWERS: 1) b
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a) À tout à l’heure