hvordan har du det?
The English phrase "how are you doing?" is translated into Norwegian as hvordan har du det?
hvordan har du det? is a common greeting used to ask someone about their general well-being or their current state of mind.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, hvordan har du det? translates to "how have you it?"
Which one should you use?
While hvordan har du det? focuses on your personal well-being or feelings, the expression Hvordan går det? is more equivalent to "how is it going?" and is used more casually.
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask how a group of people is doing, change the pronoun du (you, singular) to de (they) to form hvordan har de det?
When do people say it?
A standard response to this question is Jeg har det bra, which means "I am doing well" (literally "I have it well").
Did you know?
- If you ask hvordan har du det? to a stranger, they might find it unexpectedly intimate because it asks about their actual state of being.
- Unlike some languages that have different levels of formality for 'you', modern Norwegian almost exclusively uses du regardless of the person's rank or age.
- The pronoun du is a direct linguistic relative of the archaic English word 'thou', both descending from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
Examples in context
- Hvordan har De det i dag?How are you today?
- Hvordan går det med Dem i dag?How are you doing today?
- Hvordan går det i dag?How's it going today?
- Hei! Hvordan har du det?Hi! How are you doing?
Example conversation
Kristoffer meets Emma on the street.
- KristofferHei Emma, hvordan har du det?Hi Emma, how are you doing?
- EmmaDet går bra med meg, takk!I am doing well, thanks!
- KristofferDet var hyggelig å høre.That was good to hear.
- EmmaTakk, Kristoffer. Har du det bra?Thanks, Kristoffer. Are you doing well?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries det, du, hvordan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
