What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "at me everything is well".
Which one should you use?
While у меня всё хорошо is the standard response, you might use У меня всё отлично to express that everything is excellent or great or У меня всё нормально to say everything is alright. In some parts of Russia, У меня всё нормально can be used instead of У меня всё отлично in informal contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Russia, У меня всё нормально can be used instead of У меня всё отлично to express that everything is alright in an informal context.
How does it change in a sentence?
Instead of using the verb "to be", this phrase uses the preposition у (at/by) and the possessive меня (me) to express your state.
How do you pronounce it?
u menya vsyo khorosho
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use я хороший to mean "I am doing well". That phrase means "I am a good person" in terms of your character.
Did you know?
- In Russian culture, answering Как дела? with a detailed list of problems is more common than in English, as a strictly positive у меня всё хорошо can sometimes seem insincere.
- The word хорошо is so versatile that it is used as a standalone word for 'okay' or 'agreed' when accepting a proposal, regardless of whether anyone is feeling 'good'.
- The preposition у in this phrase is a linguistic descendant of Proto-Slavic particles used to indicate location or proximity.
Examples in context
- Всё хорошо, спасибо!Everything is good, thank you!
- У меня всё хорошо, спасибо.U menya vsyo khorosho, spasibo.I am doing well, thank you.
- У меня всё хорошо, как у тебя?U menya vsyo khorosho, kak u tebya?I am good, how are you?
- Не волнуйся, у меня всё хорошо.Ne volnuysya, u menya vsyo khorosho.Don't worry, I am doing well.
Example conversation
Olga and Alexander meet for coffee.
- Ольга OlgaПривет, Александр! Как дела?Privet, Aleksandr! Kak dela?Hi, Alexander! How are things?
- Александр AleksandrПривет, Ольга! У меня всё хорошо.Privet, Ol'ga! U menya vsyo khorosho.Hi, Olga! I am good.
- Ольга OlgaЯ рада это слышать.Ya rada eto slyshat'.I am glad to hear that.
- Александр AleksandrА как твои дела?A kak tvoi dela?And how are you doing?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries меня, у, хорошо, CC BY-SA 4.0.
