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How to Say ‘How are you? (formal)’ in German

Wie geht es Ihnen?

vee gayt es EE-nen

[vee gayt es EE-nen]

💬 Usage Tip: Word for word this is "how goes it to you?", so 'you' takes the form Ihnen, not Sie. With a friend it becomes Wie geht es dir?.

🇩🇪 In Germany: Germans treat this as a real question, not a passing hello. Ask it when you have a moment to hear the answer, not just in passing.

Phrase Breakdown

Wie geht es

vee gayt es

How is it going

The start of 'How are you?'. 'Wie' sounds like 'vee'.

Example

Wie geht es dir?

How are you? (informal)

Words in this phrase

Wie

[vee]

how

Question word meaning 'how'.

Example

Ich frage: „Wie geht es dir?“, und das Wort „Wie“ startet die Frage.

I ask: “How are you?”, and the word “Wie” starts the question.

geht

[gayt]

goes / is going

Part of the phrase meaning 'how is it going'.

Example

Wie geht es dir heute am Abend?

How are you today in the evening?

[es]

A neutral pronoun used to refer to a thing previously mentioned.

Example

Es ist ein schöner Tag.

It is a beautiful day.

Ihnen?

EE-nen

for you? (formal)

'Ihnen' is the formal 'you', always capitalized. Say it with a long 'ee' sound.

Example

Kann ich Ihnen helfen?

Can I help you?

Words in this phrase

Ihnen

[EE-nen]

you (formal, dative)

The formal 'you' in the dative case, used in polite professional situations.

Example

Darf ich Ihnen eine Frage zur Kultur im Unternehmen stellen?

May I ask you a question about the culture in the company?

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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