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How to Say ‘How are you / Are you okay’ in French

Ça va

sah vah

[sah vah]

💬 Usage Tip: [Ça va] asks and answers. Reply [ça va] and you are done.

🇫🇷 In France: At the school gate this is often just a quick check-in, not a real invitation to explain your morning in detail.

Phrase Breakdown

Ça

[sah]

it / that

In this expression, ça means 'it' or 'that' and helps form the common phrase ça va.

Example

Le matin, Ça va est une question simple entre parents.

In the morning, 'Ça va' is a simple question between parents.

va

[vah]

goes / is going

Va comes from the verb aller and in ça va it means 'is going' or 'going'.

Example

Au portail, Ça va est une formule très courante.

At the gate, 'Ça va' is a very common expression.

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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