How to say "how are you?" in German
You would like to finally refresh your German language skills and not make any unpleasant mistakes when speaking to Germans? We help you to address "how are you?" correctly in German - and to give the right answer as well. Actually, it's not that difficult: In English, the question "how are you?" is just a way of saying hello, and nobody raises an eyebrow if you don't answer. In German, however, an answer is common. There are many different ways to use "wie geht es dir?" in German. Our tips on this website bring light into the darkness and you can shine in Germany next time.
You would like to finally refresh your German language skills and not make any unpleasant mistakes when speaking to Germans? We help you to address "how are you?" correctly in German - and to give the right answer as well. Actually, it's not that difficult: In English, the question "how are you?" is just a way of saying hello, and nobody raises an eyebrow if you don't answer. In German, however, an answer is common. There are many different ways to use "wie geht es dir?" in German. Our tips on this website bring light into the darkness and you can shine in Germany next time.
Watch Video: "how are you?" in German
Hallo! Na?! Wie geht's? In this lesson you will learn how to say “how you are” in German. So there is a shorter and a longer version of the question. The short version is: "Wie geht's?" - the "wie" means - how. "Geht" comes from "gehen" which means to go or to walk and the “ 's " comes from "es" which means it. To sum it up this means literally: how is it going. And the longer version is: "Wie geht es dir?" The "dir" means to you. Literally - so how is it going to you? And as an answer you would say. "Gut, und dir?" - Good, and you?
Examples & Rules: How to say "how are you?" in German
How do you say "how are you?" in German
Do you wonder how to ask someone in German how they feel? In this section, you will find examples of how and when to use "wie geht es dir?" and "wie geht's?" We have also listed regional and slang options to ask how you are in German. Would you like to know how to address a person correctly? Just choose the situation and whom you are addressing.
This is the informal, singular version of "how are you doing?" and it is used to greet friends, relatives, and younger people. Most people tend to use the short version, which you can find as another example. A specific example is when talking to neighbors: "Hallo Herr Maier, wie geht's?" or if at work, the "du" was discouraged for some reason. To sum up, “Wie geht es dir?” literally means: How is it going to you?
- Informal
- One person
Friendly
Sympathetic
at home, at a party, at work, at a wedding
This is the very formal, singular version of "how are you?" The apostrophe in "geht es" to "geht’s" is used optional. You use this question in formal contexts when you have a small talk with your boss, or when you are talking to someone unknown.
- FormalFormal
- Multiple personsOne person
Friendly
Professional
at work, at school, with colleagues
If you address more than one person informally, you use the informal form "Wie geht es euch?" Here, you address known groups of two or more people, especially if you address the people with "du", even at work if the "du" was discouraged for some reason.
- Informal
- Multiple persons
Happy
Friendly
with friends, at home, at a party
The question "Wie geht es Ihnen?" is mostly used in a formal context. If you address more than one person formally, you use the formal form "Ihnen". This includes situations at work or between the teacher and student, but also the questions asked during a first meeting.
- FormalFormal
- One personMultiple persons
Professional
Friendly
at home, at work, on the phone, at the office, at school, with colleagues
The question "wie geht es Ihnen allen?" is mostly used in a formal context. If you address more than one person formally, you use the formal form "Ihnen". This includes situations at work or between the teacher and student, but also the questions asked during a first meeting.
- Formal
- Multiple persons
Professional
Friendly
at home, at work, on the phone, at the office, at school, with colleagues
This is the short version of "how are you?" and it is used to greet friends, relatives, and younger people. Other situations are talks with the neighbors: "Frau Müller, wie geht's?" or if at work if the "du" was discouraged for some reason: "Hallo. Wie geht's?” The short version is: "Wie geht's?" In this case, the "wie" means “how”, "geht" comes from "gehen", which means to go or to walk, and the “‘s" comes from "es", which means it.
- Informal
- One person
Friendly
Energetic
at home, at a party, at work, at a wedding
"Na?! Was geht?" is a question used by hip people and is considered very colloquial. Literally, it means, "Well? What’s up?" "Na" as a word is almost meaningless: it is the way you pronounce it that gives it meaning. By itself, "Na?" means something like, "Huh?" or "Well?".
- InformalInformal
- Multiple personsOne person
Happy
Cheerful
at school, with friends, at a party
"Wie schaut's aus?" is a question that is used by young and elderly people or is considered very colloquial. It means, "How does it look?" You would use these questions if you are not that interested in the person's feelings, but more in what they are doing.
- InformalInformal
- Multiple personsOne person
Curious
Flirty
at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends
"Wie ist die Lage?" is an informal question used by young people or people from the working class, and is considered very colloquial. Literally, it means: "What is the situation?"
- InformalFormal
- One personMultiple persons
Funny
Optimistic
at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends
How to answer "how are you?" in German
Here, you will find examples of how to answer "wie geht es dir?" We have listed options like "Mir geht es gut" or "Alles gut" to show you the difference. Would you like to know how to address a person correctly, just choose between the situation and addressing.
This is the informal, singular version of answering "Wie geht's?" and it is used to greet friends, relatives, and younger people. Other situations are talks with neighbors, or if at work, the "du" was discouraged for some reason.
- InformalInformal
- One personMultiple persons
Happy
Joyful
at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends
To answer in a formal context you can use the phrase "Danke der Nachfrage. Mir geht es gut.". This includes situations at work or between the teacher and student, but also in response to the questions asked during a first meeting. Danke der Nachfrage (Thanks for asking.) is a very polite addition to the statement that you are doing well.
- Formal
- One person
Friendly
Thankful
at the office, at work, at home
This is the very formal, plural version to answer "how are you?" You use this answer in formal contexts when you have a small talk with your boss, or when you are talking to someone unknown.
- FormalFormal
- One personMultiple persons
Professional
Friendly
at work, at school, with colleagues
If you answer more than one person informally, you can use this phrase. Here you are talking to people you know, especially if you address the people with "du", even at work if the "du" was discouraged for some reason.
- Informal
- Multiple persons
Friendly
Interested
at work, at school, at home
If you are not well, you can answer with a simple "schlecht". That means you are not well at all. In a conversation with strangers, you would not use the answer "schlecht".
- InformalInformal
- One personMultiple persons
Bad
Not good
Pessimistic
at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends
If you are fine, you can answer with a simple "Alles gut". That means you're just fine, but it is also a polite answer.
- FormalFormal
- One personMultiple persons
Normal
Good
Content
at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work
"Mir geht es schlecht." is used to show that something is wrong and that the person concerned is doing badly. This is actually only communicated among well-known people.
- Informal
- One person
Very bad
Not good
Pessimistic
at home, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends
If you are fine, you can answer with a simple "gut". That means you're just fine. But it is also a polite answer in small talk, on the phone or with friends. In this case you would just move to another topic instead of talking about your feelings.
- FormalFormal
- One personMultiple persons
Normal
Good
at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work
If you are doing well and are in a group, you can respond with a simple "Uns geht es gut." That means you're fine. But it is also a polite answer in group chat.
- Informal
- Multiple persons
Normal
Good
Content
at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work
If you are doing well, you can answer with a simple "Mir geht es gut. Danke." That means you're fine. But it is also a polite answer in small talk.
- Informal
- One person
Polite
Good
Content
at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work
If you are doing well and you are in a group, you can respond with a simple "Uns geht's klasse." That means you're fine in a very short way. Literally, it means: we are going fantastic.
- Informal
- Multiple persons
Normal
Good
Energetic
at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work
If you are well, you can formally thank me with a simple "Gut. Vielen Dank. Und Ihnen?" That means you're fine, but it is also a polite answer in small talk. If you are well, you can formally thank people with a simple "Gut. Vielen Dank. Und Ihnen?" That means you are fine, but it is also a polite answer in small talk.
- Formal
- One person
Professional
Good
at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work
If you feel very well, you can answer with a simple "ausgezeichnet". This means that you are doing particularly well. In a conversation with unknown people, you would use the answer "ausgezeichnet" less.
- InformalInformal
- One personMultiple persons
Very happy
Joyful
Amused
at a party, at work, on the phone, with friends
"Geht so" is used to show that something is wrong and the person concerned needs to talk.
- Informal
- One person
Bad
Not so good
Pessimistic
at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends, at home
Practice German Dialogues
Dialogue #1 - When you meet your friend in the street
The following dialogue shows how to say, "how are you?" in German in a conversation. The meeting between the two people is coincidental.
Dialogue #2 - When you meet a colleague in a business meeting
The following dialogue shows a meeting with a colleague. In the small talk the formal "how are you?" is used in German.
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