très bien, merci
The English phrase "very well, thank you" is translated into French as très bien, merci.
This phrase is a standard, polite response used to indicate that you are doing well when someone asks you how you are, such as after the question Comment allez-vous ?
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of très (very), bien (well) and merci (thank you).
Which one should you use?
While très bien, merci is a polite response, ça va, merci is a more casual way to say you are doing well.
Did you know?
- The word merci shares a root with the English word 'mercy'. It originally comes from the Latin word mercēdem, which meant 'wages' or 'price'.
- While 'très bien, merci' is a standard polite response, in many social circles, saying you are doing 'très bien' can actually sound slightly boastful or overly enthusiastic. A more common, modest way to say you are fine is simply 'ça va'.
- If you use 'très bien' to describe a person's performance or a piece of work, it can sometimes be interpreted as 'very good' in a way that sounds slightly patronizing, depending on the tone.
Examples in context
- Comment allez-vous ? Très bien, merci.How are you? Very well, thank you.
- Très bien, merci, et vous ?Very well, thank you, and you?
- Je vais très bien, merci.I am doing very well, thank you.
- Ça va très bien, merci beaucoup.Everything is going very well, thank you very much.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan meet at a cafe.
- LéaBonjour Nathan, comment vas-tu ?Hello Nathan, how are you?
- NathanTrès bien, merci, et toi, Léa ?Very well, thank you, and you, Léa?
- LéaJe vais très bien aussi.I am doing very well too.
- NathanC'est super !That's great!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, merci, très, CC BY-SA 4.0.
