mir geht es gut
In German, the phrase for "I am well" is mir geht es gut.
This phrase is a response used to say that you are in good health or feeling happy. To express the opposite, such as saying you are unwell or doing badly, you can replace gut with schlecht to say Mir geht es schlecht.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to "to me it goes well".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Swiss German, you might hear Mir gaht's guet. to mean "I'm fine."
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the dative pronoun mir (to me) instead of the nominative ich (I) because the expression describes how things are going to you.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying ich bin gut to mean you are feeling well. In German, this phrase often implies that you are a good person or that you are talented at something.
Did you know?
- Germans may respond to 'How are you?' with a detailed description of their actual health or mood rather than the polite, short mir geht es gut used in English.
- In a professional German setting, responding with only gut is common, but adding danke is considered a social necessity to avoid appearing curt.
- In certain German dialects, the word mir can actually mean 'we' rather than 'me', a remnant of older linguistic developments.
Examples in context
- Mir geht es gut.I am well.Tatoeba #659407 by Esperantostern, translation #574624 by Zac2333
- Mir geht es gut, danke.I am well, thank you.
- Ja, mir geht's prima!Yes, I'm feeling great!
- Danke, mir geht es gut.Thanks, I am well.
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a cafe.
- JulianHallo Sarah, wie geht es dir?Hello Sarah, how are you?
- SarahMir geht es gut, danke!I am well, thanks!
- JulianDas freut mich zu hören.I am happy to hear that.
- SarahUnd wie geht es dir, Julian?And how are you, Julian?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, gut, mir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
