今日はどうですか？
Kyō wa dō desu ka?
How are you doing today? In Japanese is 今日はどうですか？ (Kyō wa dō desu ka?)
今日はどうですか？ is a polite greeting used to ask someone about their current well-being or state of mind. While this literally asks 'How is today?', it is used as a polite way to ask about someone's current state or progress.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 今日 (kyō), meaning 'today' and どう (dō), meaning 'how'.
How do you pronounce it?
Kyō wa dō desu ka?
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often over-rely on translating 'How are you?' literally, but in Japanese, 今日はどうですか？ can sometimes sound like you are asking how a specific situation or day is progressing rather than a person's health.
Did you know?
- If a Japanese speaker responds with おかげさまで (okagesama de), they are literally saying 'thanks to you' or 'thanks to the gods', regardless of who they are talking to.
- Depending on the context, どうですか can be used to offer something, such as a snack or a drink, rather than asking about a person's state.
- The word 今日 (kyō) is written with characters that originally meant 'this' and 'day', but its pronunciation has evolved away from the original readings of the individual kanji.
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota meet at the office entrance.
- 美咲 Misakiおはようございます、陽太さん。今日はどうですか？Ohayō gozaimasu, Yōta-san. Kyō wa dō desu ka?Good morning, Yota. How are you doing today?
- 陽太 Yotaおはようございます。とても調子がいいです。Ohayō gozaimasu. Totemo chōshi ga ii desu.Good morning. I am doing very well.
- 美咲 Misakiそれは良かったですね。Sore wa yokatta desu ne.That is good to hear.
- 陽太 Yotaありがとうございます。美咲さんは？Arigatō gozaimasu. Misaki-san wa?Thank you. How about you, Misaki?
