Hei, hvordan går det?
The English phrase "hello how are you" is translated into Norwegian as Hei, hvordan går det?
This phrase is a common greeting used to start a conversation and ask about someone's well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The part hvordan går det? literally translates to "how goes it?"
Which one should you use?
While Hei, hvordan går det? is a standard greeting, you might encounter other forms. Hvordan har du det? translates to "how are you?", and hvordan går det med deg? means "how are you doing?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Western Norway, you may hear regional variations such as Heisann! Korleis har du det? instead of hei or simply Korleis har du det? instead of hvordan har du det? In the Trøndelag region, Ka skjer? is used as a regional variation of hvordan går det?
When do people say it?
When someone asks you Hvordan går det?, a common and natural response is Bare bra, takk! (Just fine, thanks!).
Did you know?
- The word hei is an ancient relative of the English word 'heath'.
- In many Norwegian social contexts, asking hvordan går det? functions more as a polite social ritual than a sincere request for a detailed report on your health or life.
- The word går in hvordan går det? refers to movement, treating the state of one's life as something that 'walks'.
Examples in context
- Hei, hvordan går det?Hi, how is it going?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries det, går, hei, hvordan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
