What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hoe gaat het met je? literally translates to "how goes it with you?" where je is the informal pronoun for "you".
Which one should you use?
While hoe gaat het met je? is standard, you may encounter the shorter version hoe gaat het?, which means "how's it going?" You can also use the laid-back expression Alles goed?, which translates to "Everything good?"
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the subject of the question, you can replace the pronoun je with other forms. For example, to ask how a group of people is doing, use hoe gaat het met hen? or hoe gaat het met ze? (how are they doing?).
When do people say it?
When someone asks you this, a common and polite response is goed, dank je, meaning "good, thank you." In many casual social settings, the shortened version hoe gaat het? often functions more as a general greeting than a literal inquiry into your health.
Did you know?
- The word met in this phrase shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'meat'.
- The phrase hoe gaat het? literally asks how 'it' is going, treating life as an external process rather than a personal state.
Examples in context
- Hoe gaat het met u vandaag?How are you doing today?
- Hoe is het met jou?How are you doing?
- Alles goed met jou?Everything good with you?
Example conversation
Daan and Sophie meet at a cafe.
- DaanHoi Sophie, hoe gaat het met je?Hi Sophie, how are you doing?
- SophieMet mij gaat het goed, dank je.I am doing well, thank you.
- DaanDat is fijn om te horen.That is good to hear.
- SophieEn hoe gaat het met jou?And how are you doing?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries het, hoe, met, CC BY-SA 4.0.
