hvordan har du det?
To say "how are you?" in Norwegian, use hvordan har du det?
hvordan har du det? is used to ask someone about their general well-being or their current state of mind. It is often used when there is a genuine interest in someone's well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "how have you it?"
Which one should you use?
While hvordan har du det? focuses on a person's internal well-being, hvordan går det? is a more general 'how is it going?' used for both people and situations. Furthermore, hvordan går det? is more common as a casual greeting.
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask a group of people how they are, change the pronoun du to de so that the phrase becomes hvordan har de det?
When do people say it?
A common and natural response to hvordan har du det? is Bare bra, takk!, which means "Just fine, thanks!"
Did you know?
- While hvordan har du det? is a standard greeting, Norwegians are often more honest about their feelings than English speakers. It is socially acceptable to give a nuanced or slightly negative answer if you are not doing well.
- The word hvordan was borrowed from Danish and originally combined a word for 'where' and a word for 'do'. It mirrors a construction used in German.
- In very formal or old-fashioned settings, you might encounter the polite pronoun De instead of du. Using De in hvordan har De det? marks a high level of social distance or respect.
Examples in context
- Jeg har det ikke så bra.I'm not feeling well.
- Hei, hvordan har du det?Hi, how are you?
Example conversation
Magnus meets Emma on the street and greets her.
- MagnusHei Emma, hvordan har du det?Hi Emma, how are you?
- EmmaJeg har det bra, takk!I am doing well, thanks!
- MagnusDet er hyggelig å høre.That is good to hear.
- EmmaHvordan har du det, Magnus?How are you, Magnus?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries det, du, hvordan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
