今日はどう？
kyō wa dō?
The English phrase "how is your day going?" can be translated into Japanese as 今日はどう？ (kyō wa dō?)
This is a friendly question used to ask someone about their current experience of the day.
What does it mean word for word?
The word どう (dō) means "how".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 今日はどう？ is informal and should be used with friends or people of equal or lower status. For a more polite version suitable for acquaintances or colleagues, you can use 今日はどうですか？
How do you pronounce it?
kyō wa dō?
Did you know?
- The word 今日 (kyō) can be read as 'kyō' or 'konnichi'. This second reading is the root of the common greeting こんにちは (konnichiwa), which literally means 'as for today'.
- If you are speaking to a superior, instead of asking how their day is, it is more common to use a phrase that acknowledges their hard work, such as お疲れ様です (otsukaresama desu).
- Because Japanese culture often values reading the air, a person might answer まあまあ (mā mā), meaning 'so-so', even if they are having a bad day, to avoid being a burden.
Examples in context
- 今日はどう？Kyō wa dō?How is your day going?
- 仕事の方は、今日はどう？Shigoto no hō wa, kyō wa dō?How is work going today?
Example conversation
Ren meets Misaki at a cafe in the afternoon.
- 蓮 Ren美咲、今日はどう？Misaki, kyō wa dō?Misaki, how is your day going?
- 美咲 Misaki順調だよ、蓮くん。Junchō da yo, Ren-kun.It's going well, Ren.
- 蓮 Renそれはよかった！Sore wa yokatta!That's good to hear!
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう。Arigatō.Thank you.
