How to Say “Hey, How Are You Doing?” in French

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salut, comment ça va ?
The English phrase "hey, how are you doing?" is translated into French as salut, comment ça va ?
This phrase is an informal greeting used to ask someone how they are. You can use salut as an equivalent to "hi" or "hey", and comment ça va ? to inquire about someone's well-being. Other casual variations include Salut, ça va? or Comment tu vas?

What does it mean word for word?

The expression ça va is a literal contraction of cela va, which means "it goes" or "it is going".

Which one should you use?

While comment ça va ? is an informal way to ask how someone is, Comment allez-vous ? is the formal or plural version used.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

The phrase salut, comment ça va ? is informal and suitable for use with friends, family or peers. For a more formal greeting, you might use Bonjour, comment allez-vous?

Is it said differently in some regions?

In parts of Quebec, Canada, it is common to add toi to the end of the greeting as in Salut, comment tu vas, toi? to emphasize the personal nature of the question.

How does it change in a sentence?

The phrase ça va can function as both a question ("How are you?") and an answer ("I am doing well") depending on the intonation used.

When do people say it?

A common and natural response to the question comment ça va ? is Ça va bien, merci (I'm doing well, thanks).

Did you know?

  • The word salut shares a root with the English word 'salute' and the Latin word for 'health'.
  • The word salut can be used both to say 'hello' and 'goodbye'.
  • While salut is common among friends, using it with a boss or a stranger in France could be seen as an unexpected breach of social etiquette.

Examples in context

  • Bonjour à tous, comment vous portez-vous aujourd'hui?
    Hello everyone, how are you all doing today?
  • Salut, ça va? Quoi de neuf?
    Hey, how are you doing? What's new?
  • Salut, comment ça va? As-tu passé un bon weekend?
    Hi, how are you doing? Did you have a good weekend?
  • Salut ! Ça va ?
    Hey! How's it going?
  • Salut, comment ça va ? Tout va bien ?
    Hey, how are you doing? Everything is fine?

Example conversation

Léa meets Gabriel in a cafe.

  1. Léa

    Salut, comment ça va ?
    Hey, how are you doing?
  2. Gabriel

    Ça va très bien, merci !
    I am doing very well, thanks!
  3. Léa

    Tu as passé une bonne nuit ?
    Did you sleep well?
  4. Gabriel

    Oui, j'ai dormi comme un bébé.
    Yes, I slept like a baby.

Sources

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Julie Kylie
Julie KylieHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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