comment tu te sens ?
In French, the phrase "how do you feel?" is expressed as comment tu te sens ?
This phrase is used to ask someone about their current physical or emotional state.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from comment (how), tu (you) and the reflexive verb se sentir (to feel oneself), translating literally to "how you yourself feel?"
Which one should you use?
While comment tu te sens ? focuses specifically on a person's internal physical or emotional state, the phrase comment vas-tu ? is a more general greeting similar to "How are you doing?"
How does it change in a sentence?
You can structure the question more formally or clearly in spoken French by adding est-ce que after comment, resulting in comment est-ce que tu te sens ? When speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people, use comment vous vous sentez ?
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget the reflexive pronoun te or vous.
Did you know?
- The verb sentir is used for both internal emotions and external smells. To say 'I smell the flowers' is je sens les fleurs, using the same root as 'I feel' in je me sens.
- The French word sens can refer to a feeling, a meaning or a physical direction. This versatility comes from a blend of Latin and Frankish influences.
- While English uses 'feel' for both emotions and textures, French often uses sentir for emotions and toucher for the physical act of feeling something with the hands.
Example conversation
Gabriel is asking Emma about her health after a cold.
- GabrielSalut Emma, comment tu te sens ?Hi Emma, how do you feel?
- EmmaJe me sens beaucoup mieux, merci.I feel much better, thanks.
- GabrielC'est super, tu as encore de la fièvre ?That's great, do you still have a fever?
- EmmaNon, tout est rentré dans l'ordre.No, everything is back to normal.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries comment, sens, te, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
