Ways to say it
| Gujarati | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| તમે કેમ છો? | tame kem cho | formal |
| કેમ છે? | kem che | informal |
Kem cho is a common way to ask "How are you" in Gujarati. When someone asks you this, you might respond with Hu majama to say "I am good" or "I am fine" or Khub saras cho to indicate that you are feeling very well. Another way to say you are feeling great is Hu mast cho. A common response to 'how are you' is હું મજામાં છું (hu majama chu), which means "I am fine/doing well".
What does it mean word for word?
The formal phrase તમે કેમ છો? breaks down as follows: તમે (tame) means "you" in a respectful sense, કેમ (kem) means "how" and છો (cho) is the second-person plural or formal form of the verb "to be" (are).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use તમે કેમ છો? when addressing elders, strangers or in professional settings. Use કેમ છે? when addressing friends, peers or younger people.
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version કેમ છે? often omits the subject "you" (tu) for brevity.
How do you pronounce it?
tame kem cho
When do people say it?
In Gujarati culture, greetings are often accompanied by a namaste gesture, with hands pressed together and a slight bow.
Did you know?
- The Sanskrit root of the verb in કેમ છે? (kem che), which is આક્ષેતિ (aksheti), originally related to the act of 'throwing' or 'casting' something. It has evolved through several thousand years of linguistic shifts to become a simple form of 'to be'.
- The word mast in the phrase Hu mast cho is borrowed from Persian and is used across several Indian languages to describe a state of blissful intoxication or extreme happiness.
- The response હું મજામાં છું (hu majama chu) uses the word મજા (maja), which can mean 'fun' or 'pleasure'. Thus, when you say you are fine, you are literally saying you are 'in fun'.
Examples in context
- તમે કેમ છો?tame kem cho?How are you?
- નમસ્તે, તમે કેમ છો?namaste, tame kem cho?Hello, how are you?
Example conversation
Nilay meets Drishti at a formal social gathering.
- નિલય Nilayનમસ્તે દ્રષ્ટિબેન, તમે કેમ છો?namaste drashtiben, tame kem cho?Hello Drishti, how are you?
- દ્રષ્ટિ Drishtiહું મજામાં છું, આભાર.hu majama chu, aabhar.I am fine, thank you.
- નિલય Nilayતમારું કામ કેવું ચાલે છે?tamaru kaam kevu chaale che?How is your work going?
- દ્રષ્ટિ Drishtiબધું બરાબર છે.badhu barabar che.Everything is fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how are you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries છે, છો, તમે, CC BY-SA 4.0.
