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How to Say ‘Hi! How's it going?’ in French

Salut ! Ça va ?

sa-LU sah vah

[sa-LU sah vah]

🇫🇷 In France: Between colleagues in the corridor, this is a passing hello rather than a real question. A quick Ça va, et toi ? is the expected reply.

Phrase Breakdown

Salut !

sa-LU

Hi!

Informal greeting. Say 'sa-LU'. The final 't' is silent, and the 'u' is said with rounded lips, like 'ee' with pursed lips.

Example

Salut Marie !

Hi Marie!

Words in this phrase

Salut

[sa-LU]

Informal greeting used with friends or in casual messages.

Example

Salut, tu vas bien ?

Hi, are you well?

Ça va ?

sah vah

How's it going?

Literally 'it goes?'. Said 'sa VA' with a rising tone for the question. The 'ç' sounds like 's'.

Example

Ça va, Paul ?

How's it going, Paul?

Words in this phrase

Ça

[sah]

that / it

Demonstrative pronoun used in everyday French to mean 'that' or 'it.'

Example

Ça me plaît quand une entreprise parle clairement.

I like it when a company speaks clearly.

[vah]

goes

Form of 'aller' (to go); with 'ça' it asks how things are going.

Example

Comment va ta mère ?

How is your mother doing?

Guides for French learners

The Most Common French Verbs: the 20 You'll Actually UseThe 20 most common French verbs, with the present-tense forms you need, real example sentences with native audio, and two shortcuts for past and future.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.

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