tout va bien
The English phrase "everything is good" can be translated into French as tout va bien.
tout va bien is used to state that a situation is satisfactory or that there are no problems. It can also be used as a question, Tout va bien ?, to check on someone's well-being or the status of a situation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "everything goes well".
Which one should you use?
While tout va bien refers to a situation or state of being, tout est bon is typically used to describe the taste of food or the correctness of a specific item.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the opposite, you can replace bien with mal to say tout va mal, meaning everything is going badly.
Did you know?
- In some French dialects, the expression tout va bien can be replaced by tout roule, which literally means 'everything is rolling'.
- The verb 'va' in tout va bien comes from the Latin 'vadere', which is the same root found in the English word 'evade'.
- The phrase tout va bien can be used ironically in French to describe a chaotic situation, similar to saying 'everything is just great' in English.
Examples in context
- La réunion s'est bien passée, tout va bien.The meeting went well, everything is good.
- Salut, ça va ? Oui, ça va, et toi ?Hi, how are you? Good, and you?
- Tout baigne, je me sens super bien aujourd'hui !Everything is great, I'm feeling really good today!
- Ne t'inquiète pas, tout va bien.Don't worry, everything is good.
- Pour l'instant, tout va bien.For now, everything is good.
- Est-ce que tout va bien ici ?Is everything good here?
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are checking on their new apartment.
- EmmaGabriel, est-ce que tout va bien dans la cuisine ?Gabriel, is everything good in the kitchen?
- GabrielOui Emma, tout va bien.Yes Emma, everything is good.
- EmmaSuper, je suis rassurée.Great, I am relieved.
- GabrielIl n'y a aucun problème.There are no problems.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, tout, va, CC BY-SA 4.0.
