Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| comment ça va | /kɔ.mɑ̃ sa va/ | informal |
| ça va | /sa va/ | informal |
| comment allez-vous | /kɔ.mɑ̃.t‿a.le.vu/ | formal, plural |
| comment vas-tu | /kɔ.mɑ̃ va.ty/ /kɔ.mɑ̃ vɑ.ty/ |
informal, singular |
These phrases are used as greetings to ask about someone's well-being. While most are used to ask "how are you?", some forms like ça va are versatile enough to function as both a question ("how's it going?") and an answer ("it's going well").
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ça va literally translates to "it goes" or "it is going".
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on who you are addressing and the level of familiarity. comment allez-vous is used for a group of people or when addressing a stranger or superior. comment vas-tu is used for a single friend, family member or peer. comment ça va and the shortened ça va are informal ways to ask how someone is doing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
comment allez-vous is the formal version. The forms comment vas-tu, comment ça va and ça va are all informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions of Quebec, the informal phrase comment tu vas? is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the form comment vas-tu, the verb vas must agree with the subject tu. In the form comment allez-vous, the verb allez must agree with the subject vous.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔ.mɑ̃ sa va/
When do people say it?
A common and natural response to any of these questions is Ça va bien, merci.
Did you know?
- In some social contexts, ça va can be used to mean 'that is enough' or 'that will do', which has nothing to do with asking how someone is.
- In many French-speaking cultures, responding to ça va with a long, detailed list of your problems is often seen as a breach of social etiquette, even if the questioner is a friend.
- If you use the formal comment allez-vous with a close friend, you might sound unintentionally stiff or even sarcastic, as if you are distancing yourself from them.
Examples in context
- Comment ça va ?How are you?This example shows the use of ça va in a question.Tatoeba #4189529 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #373320 by CK
- Comment vas-tu, Mike ?How are you, Mike?This example shows the use of comment vas-tu in a question.Tatoeba #452530 by sacredceltic, translation #32975 by CN
- Salut, comment ça va ?Hi, how are you?Tatoeba #3260084 by Aiji, translation #473177 by exjimmy
- 126 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma meet at a local cafe.
- HugoSalut Emma, comment ça va ?Hi Emma, how are you?
- EmmaÇa va très bien, merci !I'm doing very well, thanks!
- HugoSuper, je suis content pour toi.Great, I am happy for you.
- EmmaEt toi, Hugo, comment ça va ?And you, Hugo, how are you?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how are you” translations and entries comment ça va, ça va, comment allez-vous, comment vas-tu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
