How do you reply to Bonjour ca va?
Literally translated, ça va means “it goes.”. Used in casual conversation, it can be both a question and a reply, but it’s an informal expression.
As with English, French people tend to reply to Ça va? with a positive response – Bien, or Bien, merci – much the same way as we would use fine in English. The following responses are polite enough for a new acquaintance, but general enough for a good friend, too: Très bien, merci. Very well, thank you.
Ça va means literally “It goes.” We use it as both a question and an answer: Ça va? (how’s it going?) Ça va bien means “it goes well” and it can be used in the same way more or less, as a meaningless polite question and reply.
As with English, French people tend to reply to Ça va? with a positive response – Bien, or Bien, merci – much the same way as we would use fine in English. The following responses are polite enough for a new acquaintance, but general enough for a good friend, too:
They mean the same thing. They can all be used in casual conversations, but if you’re talking to your boss or something “comment ça va?” is a little better (“Comment allez vous?” if you have to be very formal). When you’re answering, you can say “Ça va.”, but not the others.
“Qui” means “who” ( a subject). “Que” means “what” (an object). “Qui est-ce que” means “whom” (an object). “Qu’est-ce qui” means “what” (a subject).
So to say “hello, how are you?” in French, simply say bonjour, ça va? or salut, ça va? What is this? If someone says this to you, you can respond with ça va bien (“it’s going well”) or tout va bien (“everything’s going well”).
