Wie geht es Ihnen?
The English phrase "how do you do?" is translated into German as Wie geht es Ihnen?
Wie geht es Ihnen? is a standard way to ask about someone's well-being. In German, it is often used as a polite social opening rather than a deep inquiry into health.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Wie geht es Ihnen? literally translates to "How goes it to you?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version of this phrase uses the pronoun dir instead of the formal Ihnen, resulting in Wie geht es dir?
When do people say it?
When someone asks Wie geht es Ihnen?, a common way to respond is Gut, danke. Und Ihnen? (Fine, thanks. And you?). In formal settings, you might also use Guten Tag! (Good day!) as a greeting throughout the day or Sehr erfreut, Sie kennenzulernen! (Very pleased to meet you!) when meeting someone for the first time.
Did you know?
- While Wie geht es Ihnen? is a polite inquiry, Germans are often more honest in their response than English speakers. It is not uncommon for a person to give a brief, honest account of their actual struggles instead of a reflexive 'fine'.
- Depending on the region, a response to Wie geht's? might be Passt schon, which roughly means 'it fits' or 'it's okay'. This reflects a cultural tendency toward modesty and avoiding over-enthusiasm.
- In very traditional or stiff formal settings, asking Wie geht es Ihnen? too early in a conversation can be seen as overly intrusive. Some prefer to stick to Guten Tag until a professional rapport is established.
Example conversation
Lukas meets Laura in a professional office setting.
- LukasGuten Tag, Frau Müller. Wie geht es Ihnen?Good day, Ms. Müller. How are you doing?
- LauraDanke der Nachfrage, mir geht es sehr gut.Thank you for asking, I am doing very well.
- LukasDas freut mich sehr zu hören.I am very glad to hear that.
- LauraUnd wie geht es Ihnen, Herr Schmidt?And how are you doing, Mr. Schmidt?
