bien et toi
The English phrase "good how are you" is translated into French as bien et toi.
bien et toi is used as a response to a greeting to indicate that the speaker is doing well and to return the question to the other person. Another very common alternative to this phrase is Ça va, et toi ?
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of bien (well), et (and) and toi (the informal version of you).
Which one should you use?
bien et toi is the informal way to say "well and you" and is used when speaking to friends, family or peers. If you are speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people, you should use bien et vous instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this context, bien functions as an adverb describing how the speaker is doing.
Did you know?
- In many French social circles, responding with bien can actually sound too positive or formal. It is common to hear people respond with pas mal, which literally means 'not bad', to express that they are doing well.
- The word bien is a distant relative of the English word 'benefit'. Both share a Latin root describing something that is good or advantageous.
- While bien means 'well', French speakers often use the phrase Ça va as both the question and the answer. In this case, Ça va effectively means 'it goes', 'I am fine' and 'how are you' all at once.
Examples in context
- Ça va bien et toi ?I'm doing well, and you?
- Je vais bien et toi ?I am well, and how are you?
- Très bien et toi ?Very well, and you?
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel meet in a cafe.
- EmmaSalut Gabriel, ça va ?Hi Gabriel, how are you?
- GabrielÇa va bien et toi, Emma ?I'm doing well, and you, Emma?
- EmmaÇa va très bien, merci.I'm doing very well, thanks.
- GabrielSuper, content de te voir.Great, happy to see you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, et, toi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
