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How to Say ‘How are you?’ in French

Comment allez-vous ?

koh-mahn ah-le voo

[koh-mahn ah-le voo]

💬 Usage Tip: Health questions use aller "to go", not être "to be". You say how you "go", so the answer is Je vais bien "I'm fine".

🇫🇷 In France: This is the polite vous version. It suits in-laws you don't call tu yet, and it shows respect even after several visits.

Phrase Breakdown

Comment

[koh-mahn]

How

Used to ask about the manner or way something is done.

Example

Comment puis-je vous aider ?

How can I help you?

allez

[ah-le]

To move or travel towards a place.

Example

Allez tout droit.

Go straight ahead.

-vous

[voo]

you

Subject pronoun attached after the verb in an inverted question form.

Example

Souhaitez-vous réserver pour demain ?

Would you like to book for tomorrow?

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.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.

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