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How to Say ‘How are you? (informal)’ in French

Ça va ?

sah vah

[sah vah]

💬 Usage Tip: Ça va ? asks and answers. Reply Ça va and you are done.

🇫🇷 In France: Among colleagues or acquaintances this is a passing hello, not a real question. A long answer reads as odd.

Phrase Breakdown

Ça

[sah]

it / that

Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'it' or 'that'.

Example

J'espère que ça te plaise vraiment.

I hope you really like it.

va

[vah]

goes / is going

From the verb 'aller' and often used in expressions like 'ça va' meaning 'it's going' or 'how are things.'

Example

Tout va bien ce soir.

Everything is going well this evening.

Related guides

Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.Common French Phrases You'll Use Every Day (with Native Audio)The common French phrases and expressions people actually use every day: greetings, polite essentials, reactions and casual slang, with meanings and native audio.

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