What does it mean word for word?
The phrase comment s'est passée ta journée ? literally translates to "how itself passed your day?"
Which one should you use?
Comment avez-vous passé votre journée ? translates to "How did you spend your day?" and is used for formal or professional contexts. Comment ça s'est passé aujourd'hui ? is a common way to ask how someone's day went in informal conversations. Among friends or acquaintances, you might also use Tu as passé une bonne journée ?, which means "Did you have a good day?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In casual conversation, French speakers often use a declarative statement with rising intonation instead of starting with "comment", such as ta journée s'est bien passée ?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Comment as-tu passé ta journée ? is the equivalent of Comment avez-vous passé votre journée ?
How does it change in a sentence?
Use comment s'est passée votre journée ? instead of ta journée when speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because journée is a feminine noun, the past participle passée must take an 'e' at the end to agree with it. Avoid writing comment s'est passé ta journée ?
When do people say it?
When responding, use the feminine pronoun Elle to refer back to la journée, for example: Elle s'est bien passée, merci.
Did you know?
- The word journée comes from the Vulgar Latin word *diurnāta, which specifically referred to a day's work or the amount of work done in one day.
- The word journée shares its roots with the English word 'journal', as both relate to tracking the passage of time or daily events.
- In very informal French, you might skip the 'how' entirely and simply ask Ça a été ? to mean 'How was it?' regarding the day.
Examples in context
- Monsieur Lambert, comment avez-vous passé votre journée aujourd'hui ?Monsieur Lambert, how did you spend your day today?
- Salut Pauline, comment ça s'est passé aujourd'hui ?Salut Pauline, how was your day today?
- Bonsoir Hugo, tu as passé une bonne journée ?Bonsoir Hugo, did you have a good day?
- Dis-moi, comment s'est passée ta journée ?Tell me, how was your day?
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are meeting at home after work.
- HugoBonsoir Manon, comment s'est passée ta journée ?Good evening Manon, how was your day?
- ManonC'était très fatigant, et toi ?It was very tiring, and you?
- HugoMa journée était plutôt calme.My day was quite calm.
- ManonTant mieux, on peut enfin se reposer.That's good, we can finally relax.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries comment, journée, ta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
