Comment ça va?
everyday
The everyday question is Comment ça va? Among friends a Cajun speaker may ask Quoi ça dit?, literally "what does it say?", meaning "what is new?" It is also called Ça va?
Meaning: greeting asking about well-being (phrase)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| Comment ça va? | everyday |
| Quoi ça dit? | casual, Louisiana |
| Ça va? | short |
The usual answer is Ça va bien for "I am fine" or Pas mal for "not bad". Add cher or chère to sound friendly.
How do you pronounce it?
Ça va is said "sah VAH".
Did you know?
- The word "Cajun" is a shortened form of "Acadian", the name of the French settlers who were forced out of Acadia in the 1750s and 1760s and later settled in Louisiana.
Examples in context
- Comment ça va, cher?How are you, dear?
- Quoi ça dit?What is new?
- Ça va bien, merci.I am fine, thank you.
Example conversation
Thibault meets his old friend Gisèle at a farmers market in Lafayette.
- ThibaultSalut, Gisèle! Comment ça va?Hi, Gisèle! How are you?
- GisèleÇa va bien, et toi?Fine, and you?
- ThibaultÇa va. Quoi ça dit?Fine. What is new?
