comment vas-tu depuis le temps ?
The English phrase "how have you been?" is translated into French as comment vas-tu depuis le temps ?
comment vas-tu depuis le temps ? is a greeting used to ask about someone's life when you have not seen them for a long time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase depuis le temps literally translates to "since the time".
Which one should you use?
While comment vas-tu ? is a general way to ask "how are you?", comment vas-tu depuis le temps ? specifically implies a period of absence since your last meeting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The informal version ça va depuis le temps ? can be used in casual conversation with friends by replacing comment vas-tu with ça va.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use comment allez-vous depuis le temps ? instead of comment vas-tu depuis le temps ? when speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people.
When do people say it?
A common way to respond to this greeting is Ça va bien, et toi ? (informal) or Ça va bien, et vous ? (formal).
Did you know?
- In France, asking comment vas-tu ? refers to the verb aller, which means 'to go'. You are literally asking how the other person is 'going'.
- While English uses the present perfect 'have you been', French uses the present tense comment vas-tu to express the same ongoing state from the past until now.
- The word temps in depuis le temps is a polysemous word that can mean both 'time' and 'weather'.
Examples in context
- Salut ! Comment vas-tu depuis le temps ?Hi! How have you been?
- On ne s'est pas vus depuis longtemps, comment vas-tu depuis le temps ?We haven't seen each other in a long time, how have you been?
Example conversation
Two old friends bump into each other at a cafe.
- HugoSalut Chloé ! Comment vas-tu depuis le temps ?Hi Chloé! How have you been?
- ChloéÇa va très bien, merci Hugo. Et toi ?I'm doing very well, thanks Hugo. And you?
- HugoTout se passe bien pour moi.Everything is going well for me.
- ChloéJe suis ravie de l'entendre.I am delighted to hear that.
