Ways to say it
| Swiss German | Note |
|---|---|
| Wie gaht's? | |
| Wie gaht's Ihne? | formal |
| Wie gaht's dir? | to a friend |
Adding the person adds warmth: Wie gaht's dir? to a friend, or Wie gaht's Ihne? when addressing someone formally with Ihne.
What does it mean word for word?
gaht's joins gaht, 'goes', and 's, a short form of es, 'it', so the phrase literally asks 'how goes it'.
Which one should you use?
Wie gaht's? alone is the everyday greeting among people who already know each other a little. Adding dir or Ihne makes clear exactly whose wellbeing you are asking about.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
dir is informal, used with friends, family and people your own age. Ihne is the formal form, used with strangers, elders and in business.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Pronunciation shifts by canton. In Bern you often hear wie geits der, while Zürich stays closer to wie gaht's dir.
How does it change in a sentence?
gaht's becomes gangts in some dialects for the same meaning. The verb itself never changes for the person you ask, only the pronoun after it does.
How do you pronounce it?
The a in gaht's is held longer than in Standard German geht, closer to 'gaaht's'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Wie gaht's? expects a short answer about how you feel, not a detailed report. A simple guet, merci is the normal reply, even on a busy day.
When do people say it?
Swiss people often ask Wie gaht's? as a quick, almost automatic greeting rather than a real question, similar to English 'how's it going'. A long answer can feel out of place.
Did you know?
- Wie gaht's? is often said as a quick greeting rather than a real question, so a short guet, merci is the expected reply, not a long update.
- The short 's in gaht's stands for es, 'it', the same way English 'how's it going' hides the word 'is'.
Examples in context
- Hoi, wie gaht's dir?Hi, how are you?
- Wie gaht's Ihne hüt?How are you today?
Example conversation
Sara meets her old friend Dominik on the train platform.
- SaraHoi Dominik, wie gaht's dir?Hi Dominik, how are you?
- DominikGuet, merci, und dir?Good, thanks, and you?
- SaraAu guet. Bisch uf em Weg zur Arbet?Good too. Are you on your way to work?
- DominikJo, wie jede Tag.Yes, like every day.
