How to Ask About Well-Being

Learn how to ask about well-being

Dialogue

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Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Notes

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do French by FrenchPod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask about well-being in French.

For example, "How are you?" is

Comment ça va ?

Constance Collin is in the office breakroom.

She greets Paul Petit , a colleague, and asks about his well-being.

Before you listen to the conversation, let's preview some of its key components.

bien

"fine"

bien

Listen to the conversation and focus on the question.

Ready?

Comment ça va ?

Ça va bien, merci.

Once more with the English translation.

Comment ça va ?

"How are you?"

Ça va bien, merci.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Constance asks Paul ,

"How are you?"

Comment ça va ?

First is Comment, meaning "how." Comment. Comment.

Next is ça, "it" ça. ça.

Finally, va, "goes" va. va.

Va is from the verb aller, meaning "to go." Aller.

All together, it's Comment ça va? This literally means "How it goes?" But it translates as, "How are you?"

Comment ça va ?

Note the rising intonation of the sentence to mark that it's a question. Comment ça va ?

Let's take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how Paul says,

"I’m fine, thank you."

Ça va bien, merci.

"I’m fine, thank you." Ça va bien, merci.

First is ça va, literally "It goes." ça va. Ça va.

Next is the word, bien, meaning "fine” or “well” Bien. Bien.

Together, it’s “ça va bien”. Literally, "It goes well," but translates as "I’m fine," or "I’m well." ça va bien.

Next is, merci, meaning "Thank you." merci. merci.

All together, it’s Ça va bien, merci. "I’m fine, Thank you."

Ça va bien, merci.

Note the question, Comment ça va ? is more used in formal situations.

For informal situations, you can simply remove “comment.” Ça va ?

Since the question is similar to the answer, you will need to stress the question with a rising intonation.

Ça va ?

When using formal French, Comment allez-vous ? "How are you?" Comment allez-vous ?

Imagine you’re Sadia Simon , Constance Collin’s French teacher. Use the formal expression for "How are you?"

Comment allez-vous ?

"How are you?"

Comment allez-vous ?

This is the most formal and most common expression. It can be used safely with anyone in any situation.

An extremely common way to ask about someone’s well being is the phrase:

Ça va ? How are you? Ça va ?

Ça va ? is a shortened form of Comment ça va ?

The usual response to “ça va ?” is “ça va”.

Listen to the following exchange:

Ça va ?

Ça va. Ça va ?

Ça va.

The intonation makes the difference between the question and the answer.

Let's look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Comment ça va ?

Ça va bien, merci.

Comment ça va ?

"How are you?"

Ça va bien, merci.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Comment ça va ?

Ça va très bien.

Comment ça va ?

"How are you?"

Ça va très bien.

"I'm very good."

Comment allez-vous ?

Constance Collin Ça va bien.

Comment allez-vous ?

"How are you?"

Constance Collin Ça va bien.

"I'm fine."

Ça va ?

Ça va.

Ça va ?

"How are you doing?"

Ça va.

"I'm fine."

Comment ça va ?

Ça va bien. Et vous ?

Comment ça va ?

"How are you?"

Ça va bien. Et vous ?

"I'm fine. And you?"

Did you notice how the last speaker added the phrase Et vous ?

Ça va bien. Et vous?

"I’m fine. And you?"

First is et. "And." Et. Et.

Next is vous, a formal word meaning "you." vous. vous.

All together, it’s Et vous? meaning "And you?" Et vous?

You can use this phrase to reciprocate the question when someone asks you about your well being.

For example, if someone says,

Comment ça va ?

You can answer the question, then inquire about the other person’s well being with Et vous ? "And you?" Et vous ?

Note: vous, "you," is formal. For informal situations, you can replace the vous with toi.

Et toi ? “And you?” Et toi ?

Let's review the key words and phrases.

très. "Very." très. très

Et. "And." Et. Et.

Vous. formal "You." vous. vous.

Tu. informal "You." tu. tu.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember the word for "how?"

Comment.

And do you remember how Constance Collin asks,

"How are you?"

Comment ça va ?

Do you remember how to say "fine?"

Bien.

And how to say

"I’m fine."

Ça va bien.

Do you remember how to say

"Thank you."

Merci.

Do you remember how Paul Petit says,

"I'm fine, thank you."

Ça va bien, merci.

Do you remember the formal way to say,

“How are you?”

Comment allez-vous ?

Do you remember the informal way to say,

“How are you?”

Ça va ?

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Constance's colleague, Paul Petit. Ask how Constance is doing.

Ready?

Comment ça va ?

Constance Collin Ça va très bien.

Listen again and repeat.

Comment ça va ?

Let’s try another.

Imagine you're the Collin family's teacher, Sadia Simon. Ask about Christope's well being using formal French.

Ready?

Comment allez-vous ?

Ça va bien.

Listen again and repeat.

Comment allez-vous ?

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you're Corentin Collin , and you meet your friend at school. Ask how she's doing using informal French.

Ready?

Ça va ?

Ça va.

Listen again and repeat.

Ça va ?

Well done! This is the end of the lesson and the Can Ask About Well-Being unit of this course.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

What's next?

Show us what you can do.

When you're ready, take your assessment.

You can take it again and again, so try anytime you like.

Our teachers will assess it, and give you your results.

Keep practicing — and move on to the next lesson!

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