How do you say "How are you?" in French?

"How are you?" in French is "Comment ça va ?". This phrase is commonly used in France.

🧐

How to Say ‘How are you?’ in French

Q: What does "Comment ça va ?" mean in English?

"Comment ça va ?" means "How are you?" in English. Usage tip: [Comment ça va ?] is the fuller version, but people very often shorten it to just [Ça va ?]. The reply can also be just [Ça va] or [Ça va bien].

Comment ça va ?

koh-mahn sa va

[koh-mahn sa va]

💬 Usage Tip: [Comment ça va ?] is the fuller version, but people very often shorten it to just [Ça va ?]. The reply can also be just [Ça va] or [Ça va bien].

🇫🇷 In France: This is friendly and everyday, not especially intimate. With someone you have just met at a bar, it feels natural and light.

Phrase Breakdown

Comment

[koh-mahn]

how

Starts a question asking about someone's well-being.

Example

Pour vérifier le bien-être de quelqu'un, demandez "Comment ça va ?"

To check someone's well-being, ask 'Comment ça va?'

Ça va ?

sa va

Words in this phrase

ça

[sa]

that

Part of the phrase asking about one's condition.

Example

En demandant "Comment ça va ?", vous montrez de l'intérêt.

By asking 'Comment ça va?', you show interest.

[va]

goes

Indicates how things are or how someone is doing.

Example

Il répond souvent "Ça va bien" à "Comment ça va ?"

He often responds 'Ça va bien' to 'Comment ça va?'

Guides for French learners

The Best App to Learn French: An Honest ComparisonDuolingo, Babbel, Pimsleur, Busuu, italki and PrettyFluent compared for learning French: what each is best at, how you pay, and which fits your goal.French Conversation for Beginners: 5 Everyday Dialogues You'll Actually UseFive short French conversations for beginners, from greeting a neighbour to booking a restaurant, with translations, native audio and the phrases that keep them going.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered speech recognition to perfect your accent

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Custom Scenarios

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant scenarios were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer