tu vas bien ?
In French, 'are you doing well?' is translated as tu vas bien ?
This phrase is used to ask someone about their current health or general well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, tu vas bien ? translates to 'you go well?' because the French verb aller (to go) is used to express how a person is doing.
Which one should you use?
While tu vas bien ? specifically asks about the person's well-being, ça va ? is a much more common, casual way to say 'how are you?' or 'is it going well?'
How does it change in a sentence?
Use vous allez bien ? instead of tu vas bien ? when speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people.
When do people say it?
A standard polite response to tu vas bien ? is Je vais bien, merci (I am doing well, thank you).
Did you know?
- While tu vas bien ? asks about a person, the casual ça va ? is so flexible that it can serve as both the question and the answer, with the meaning changing based on the tone.
- While tu vas bien ? is a question, the word bien is a direct descendant of the Latin bene, which is also the root of English words like 'benefit' and 'benevolent'.
- Using tu instead of vous with a stranger or a boss in France can be perceived as a social faux pas or an intentional sign of disrespect, rather than just an informal choice.
Examples in context
- Salut Nathan, tu vas bien ?Hi Nathan, are you doing well?
- Dis-moi, tu vas bien ?Tell me, are you doing well?
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan meet at a café.
- EmmaCoucou Nathan, tu vas bien ?Hey Nathan, are you doing well?
- NathanOui, je vais très bien, merci.Yes, I am doing very well, thanks.
- EmmaC'est super !That's great!
- NathanEt toi, comment ça va ?And you, how is it going?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, tu, vas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
