Our Day 16

Immersion – 16
Asking and Replying to “How are you?”

Part A
Asking “How are you?”

I. In formal (with known persons or younger ones)

1. ça va? (sah vah) = Are you ok?
2. comment ça va? (koh mahN sah vah) = How are you?/ How is it going?
3. comment vas tu? (koh mahN vah-tew) = How are you?

II. Formal (with respect)

1. comment allez vous? (koh mahN tah-ley vooh) = How are you?
2. vous allez bien? (vooh zah-ley byaN) = Are you well?

Part B
Replying to “How are you?”

1. ça va (sah vah) = I am ok
2. ça va bien (sah vah byaN) = I am very well
3. Bien, merci (byaN mehr-see) = Fine, thank you.
4. Très bien, merci (treh byaN, mehr-see) = Very well, thank you.
5. Je, vais bien, merci (zhuh veh byaN, mehr-see) = I am fine, thank you.
6. Pas mal! (pah mahl) = Not bad!
7. Pas mal au jourd’hui (pah mahl oh zhoohr dwee) = Not bad today.
8. ça va bien merci, et vous? (sah vah byaN mehr-see, ey vooh) = I am fine thank you, and you?-Formal
9. ça va bien merci, et toi? (sah vah byaN mehr-see, ey twah)= I am fine thank you and you?-Informal

Dialogue 1

(Madam Lara is doing her shopping. She goes into Mr. David’s shop. Their dialogue follows)

Mr. David: Bonjour madame Lara. Comment allez vous?
(bohN zhoor mah-dahm Lah-rah. koh-mahN tah-ley vooh)
= Hello Mrs. Lara. How are you?

Mme. Lara: Très bien, merci, et vous?
(treh byaN, mehr-see, ey-vooh)
= very well, thank you, and you?

Mr. David: ça va bien, merci.
(sah-vah byaN mehr-see)
= I am fine, thank you.

(After finishing her purchases Lara prepares to leave the store)

Mr. David: Au revoir, madame Lara. Bonne journée!
(ohr-vwahr, mah-dahm lah-rah. bohhn zhoohr-ney)
= Good bye madam Lara. Have a nice day.

Mme. Lara: Au revoir, monsieur
(ohr-vwahr muh-syuh)
=Good bye, sir.

Dialogue 2

(Two teen age friends just meet on the street. Listen to their conversation)

Girl: Salut Raju. Comment ça va?
(sah-lew rah-zhew. koh-mahN sah-vah)
= Hi Raju. How are you doing?

Boy: Pas mal, et toi?
(pah mahl, ey twah)
= not bad, and you?

Girl: Oh ça va. Et lui, qui est-ce?
(oh sah vah. ey lwee, kee ehs)
= Oh I am ok. And who is he?

Boy: C’est mon frère. Il s’appelle Babu.
(seh mohN frehr. eel sah-pehl bah-bew)
= He is my brother. His name is Babu.

Girl: Salut Babu.
(sah-lew bah-bew)
= Hi Babu.

Exercise

(Given below is a dialogue between an elderly woman Rosi and a teen age boy Denis with a teen age girl Lucy. Fill in the missing words choosing the suitable word from the given list.)
(voici, bien, ça va, parles, toi)
Denis: Bonjour madame Rosi. Comment________ ?
Rosi: ça va bien, merci Denis. Et __________ comment vas-tu?
Denis: ça va, merci. Madame Rosi ________ Lucy. Elle vient des Paris.
Rosi: Oh, bonjour Lucy. Alors tu __________ français?
Lucy: Pas très ___________ madame.

Meaning of new words:

vient = come
alors = then, in that case
pas = not
très = very
toi = you