How do you say "How have you been?" in French?

"How have you been?" in French is "Ça va bien depuis la dernière fois ?". This phrase is commonly used in France.

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How to Say ‘How have you been?’ in French

Q: What does "Ça va bien depuis la dernière fois ?" mean in English?

"Ça va bien depuis la dernière fois ?" means "How have you been?" in English. Usage tip: French often uses [depuis] to ask about how things have been over a period up to now: [Ça va bien depuis la dernière fois ?]. You can reuse the pattern with other time markers, like [depuis hier ?] or [depuis ton voyage ?].

Ça va bien depuis la dernière fois ?

sah vah byeh duh-pwee lah dehr-nyer fwah

[sah vah byeh duh-pwee lah dehr-nyer fwah]

💬 Usage Tip: French often uses [depuis] to ask about how things have been over a period up to now: [Ça va bien depuis la dernière fois ?]. You can reuse the pattern with other time markers, like [depuis hier ?] or [depuis ton voyage ?].

Phrase Breakdown

Ça

[sah]

This

Refers to 'this' or 'that' in a general sense.

Example

Je crois que 'ça' va mieux maintenant.

I think 'it's' going better now.

[vah]

goes

A form of the verb 'to go'.

Example

Le temps 'va' vite.

Time 'goes' quickly.

bien

[byeh]

well

Indicates a good or satisfactory state.

Example

Il se porte 'bien' en général.

He is generally doing 'well'.

Depuis la dernière fois ?

duh-pwee lah dehr-nyer fwah

Words in this phrase

depuis

[duh-pwee]

since

Indicates a point in time from which things are considered.

Example

'Depuis' longtemps, il veut visiter Paris.

'Since' a long time ago, he has wanted to visit Paris.

[lah]

the

Definite article used before a noun to specify it as something previously considered.

Example

Je vais à 'la' fête demain.

I am going to 'the' party tomorrow.

dernière

[dehr-nyer]

last

Done, occurring, or coming at the end of a series or after a period of time.

Example

Notre rencontre 'dernière' était amusante.

Our 'last' meeting was fun.

fois

[fwah]

time

A point or period when something occurs.

Example

Chaque 'fois' qu'il vient, il apporte du chocolat.

Every 'time' he comes, he brings chocolate.

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.

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