hej, hur mår du?
The English phrase "hello, how are you?" is translated into Swedish as hej, hur mår du?
hej, hur mår du? is the most common way to ask "hello, how are you?" in Swedish. It is a standard greeting used to start a conversation and inquire about someone's well-being.
Which one should you use?
While hur mår du? specifically asks about a person's health and feelings, do not use hur är du? as it is grammatically incorrect for asking how someone is doing.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can change the subject of the question by replacing the pronoun du with de to ask "how are they?" (e.g., Hur mår de?).
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using hur är du? to ask how someone is feeling. Instead, use the verb mår to correctly inquire about well-being.
When do people say it?
When someone asks you hur mår du?, a standard and polite response is Jag mår bra, tack, which means "I am doing well, thanks."
Did you know?
- While hur mår du? asks about health, Swedes often use hur är läget? which literally translates to 'how is the situation?'
- Swedish has a specific culture of 'small talk' where hej is often sufficient, and asking about well-being is reserved for people you actually know.
- The word du is a direct linguistic relative of the archaic English word 'thou', showing how both languages once treated the second-person singular.
Examples in context
- Hej, hur mår du?Hello, how are you?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries du, hej, hur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
