# How are you? (formal, informal) and response



## FrancescaVR

Dear alles,

Could you please inform me on how to say _*how are you*_ in Deutch?

Many thanks in advance,

Francesca


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## nircser

*how are you?*
*wie geht es dir?*


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## FrancescaVR

nircser said:
			
		

> *how are you?*
> *wie geht es dir?*


 
=================================
Danke schon for the help

Francesca


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## nircser

btw, if u would like to say it politely:
_*Wie geht es Ihnen?*_


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## FrancescaVR

Thanks again Nircser

Francesca


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## Whodunit

FrancescaVR said:
			
		

> Dear alles,
> 
> Could you please inform me on how to say _*how are you*_ in Deutsch?
> 
> Many thanks in advance,
> 
> Francesca


 
My pleasure. 

Wie geht es dir? (sg.)
Wie geht's dir?
Wie geht's? (informal)

Wie geht es euch? (pl.)
Wie geht's euch?

Wie geht es Ihnen? (sg./pl. polite)
Wie geht's Ihnen?

The "geht" + "es" contraction to "geht's" is very common. I'm sure you won't hear "geht es" in speech.


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## Boston Dude

Hello, I speak English and was wondering what a normal German introduction would be. I am thinking about learning the language.

*Hier spricht die Moderatorin*: Dies war der erste Beitrag in einem Thread, der mit dem älteren zusammengeführt wurde


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## Quelle

Boston Dude said:


> Hello, I speak English and was wondering what a normal German introduction would be. I am thinking about learning the language.


 
An introduction for what kind of situation?


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## Boston Dude

I guess like if I were to meet someone from Germany and I wanted to say: Hello, how are you.  Have a good day.  


maybe there is a webpage that could give me simple presentaions.  

thank you for your help.


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## Quelle

Hallo, wie geht's?
Einen schönen Tag (noch). The latter more when saying good-bye.
It depends on so many things that it isn't easy to give an universal answer.


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## Boston Dude

I understand.  Trust me.  I think I will get a book on this.  the real trick is finding someone to talk to.


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## Toadie

You must remember that in German (as well as most other languages) there is a formal and informal, which effects the way you say certain things, depending on who you are speaking with.

A safe formal greeting would be: "Guten Tag!  Wie geht es Ihnen?"
While an informal greeting would be, like Quelle suggested: "Hallo, wie geht's?"

If it's just a random German you're saying this to, you would be best off using the formal just to make sure you don't offend anyone.  However, on the internet, it is generally okay to use the informal (in things like chatrooms, IM, forums, etc.).


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## Boston Dude

So, is there a good website that I can go to in order to learn some German?  Are you guys allowed to give me weblinks in this forum?


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## Will5

Is the question in everyday life 'How are you?', 'Wie geht?' 

Danke Will

*Die Moderatorin spricht*: Dies war der erste Beitrag in einem Thread, der zusammengefasst wurde mit dem älteren.


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## elroy

Close. It's _Wie geht*'s*?_


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## Will5

danke. And to reply would you say ' gut danke und dich?' (informal)


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## elroy

_Gut, danke und *Dir*?_

That would be one possible response.


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## herrkeinname

- Wie gehts? (Nach der neuen Rechtschreibung braucht man keinen Apostroph zu setzen, wenn ich mich nicht irre)
- Gut und selbst?


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## Will5

thanks for your responses. Why would it be Dir instead of dich or even du?


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## manninagh

Will5 said:


> thanks for your responses. Why would it be Dir instead of dich or even du?



Because the complete sentence would be "*Wie geht es* _*dir*_"?  (Literally, how goes it *to you?*)


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## herrkeinname

Das Personalpronomen muss im Dativ stehen.
Wie geht es dir (wem)?
Danke, gut. Und dir (wem)?


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## Will5

Ich verstehe nicht Ihre Antwort, Mrkeinname. Bitte erklären Sie sich.

Also is the response 'selbst' used often?


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## herrkeinname

"Selbst" is often used in this context. Both words are actually interchangeable, although I would regard "selbst" as more informal.


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## Will5

viel danke.


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## Kuestenwache

It's just a short form for "Und (wie geht es dir) selbst" "selbst" just underlines "dir". I don't know whether it is supposed to be polite as in "I really want to know how you feel yourself" or if it has another meaning, "selbst" is not generally equivalent with "dir". In some dialects you will find even shorter forms like
"Un wie?" or just "Un/Und?" (Und, wie geht es dir?)
"Gut, selbst?" (Und und wie geht es dir selbst?)
I was told, that among recruits the simple phrase "Moin, un?" is used as well as as question and answer as greeting in the morning ("Moin" means "Guten morgen", "un" means "und wie geht es dir?") Since there is no answer expected to "un?" it is more of an expression of politeness rather than of real interest.
But this is very informal.


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