French Phrase
Tout va bien, merci.
Meaning
Literally ‘Everything goes well, thank you.’ In everyday French it is a short, polite way to say ‘I’m fine, thank you’ after someone asks how you are doing.
When to use
Use this response after questions like ‘Comment ça va ?’, ‘Comment allez‑vous ?’, or when someone inquires about your wellbeing. It works in both casual and semi‑formal settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Toutvabien,merci.
Tout (indefinite pronoun)
‘Tout’ means ‘everything’ or ‘all’; here it functions as a subject pronoun referring to the whole situation.
va (present of aller)
‘va’ is the third‑person singular present of the verb ‘aller’ (to go) and is used idiomatically to mean ‘is going’ → ‘is’.
bien (adverb)
‘bien’ modifies the verb, meaning ‘well’ or ‘fine’; together ‘va bien’ translates to ‘is fine.’
merci (interjection)
‘merci’ means ‘thank you’; it can be placed after a statement to politely acknowledge a question or a favor.
🗨In Conversation
Comment ça va ?
How are you?
Tout va bien, merci.
Everything is fine, thank you.
✕Common Mistakes
Tout va bien merci
Missing the comma makes the sentence look rushed; the pause before ‘merci’ is important for natural rhythm.
Tout est bien, merci.
‘Tout est bien’ translates to ‘Everything is good’ but sounds unnatural as a response to ‘How are you?’; use ‘Tout va bien’.
Tout vas bien, merci.
The verb must agree with the third‑person singular subject; ‘vas’ is second‑person singular.
↔Alternatives
Ça va bien, merci.
I’m doing well, thank you.
Tout va bien, merci beaucoup.
Everything is fine, thank you very much.
Je vais bien, merci.
I’m fine, thank you.
Cultural Tip
In French conversation, it is common to add ‘merci’ even when you haven’t received a favor; it signals politeness and acknowledges the other person’s concern. Avoid over‑using ‘tout’ in contexts where ‘ça’ (that) is more natural – native speakers usually say ‘Ça va bien’ in informal chats, while ‘Tout va bien’ sounds slightly more complete or formal.