Hū eart þū?
The English phrase "how are you?" is translated into Old English as Hū eart þū?
This phrase is a common greeting used to inquire about someone's well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the interrogative adverb hū (how), the second-person singular verb eart (art/are) and the pronoun þū (thou).
Is it said differently in some regions?
Another way to ask is Hū færst þū? , 'how do you fare?'
How does it change in a sentence?
The form Hū eart þū? Uses the singular pronoun þū for one person. For several people, ask Hū sindon gē? .
Did you know?
- Old English had no polite 'you'. þū was used for any single person, from a child to a king.
- The letter þ in þū is a remnant of the runic alphabet, specifically the rune 'thorn', which was adopted into the Latin script to handle English sounds.
- While Hū eart þū? asks about a state of being, the variation Hu færst þū? literally translates to 'How do you fare?', which is the root of the modern English word 'farewell'.
Examples in context
- Hū eart þū?How are you?
