French Phrase
Bonjour. Ça va très bien, merci.
Meaning
This friendly greeting means “Hello. I’m doing very well, thank you.” It combines a standard morning/afternoon greeting (Bonjour) with a positive response to the question “How are you?” (Ça va?) and a polite thank‑you.
When to use
Use this phrase when you meet someone in a French‑speaking environment and want to reply positively to a casual “How are you?” It works in both formal and informal settings, especially in the morning or early afternoon.
✦Grammar Breakdown
BonjourÇavatrèsbienmerci
Bonjour
A standard greeting meaning “good day”; used from morning until early evening.
Ça
Pronoun meaning “it/that”; in the expression “ça va” it functions as a dummy subject.
va
Third‑person singular of the verb “aller” (to go); in “ça va” it idiomatically means “to be (how are you?)”.
très
Adverb meaning “very”, placed before adjectives or other adverbs.
bien
Adverb meaning “well”; together with “très” it intensifies the positive response.
merci
Polite expression meaning “thank you”; can stand alone or follow a statement.
🗨In Conversation
Bonjour ! Ça va ?
Hello! How are you?
Bonjour. Ça va très bien, merci.
Hello. I’m doing very well, thank you.
✕Common Mistakes
Ca va très bien, merci.
Missing the cedilla on “Ça” changes the pronunciation and is considered a spelling error.
Je va très bien, merci.
The verb must agree with the subject: use “vais” with “je”.
Bonjour. Ça va très bon, merci.
“Bien” (well) is the adverb; “bon” is an adjective and does not fit here.
↔Alternatives
Bonjour. Je vais très bien, merci.
Hello. I’m doing very well, thank you.
Salut ! Ça va super, merci.
Hi! I’m great, thanks.
Bonjour. Tout va bien, merci.
Hello. Everything’s fine, thank you.
Cultural Tip
In French culture, a brief “Ça va ?” is often just a polite ritual rather than a genuine health check. Responding with a short positive answer like “Très bien, merci” is customary. If you’re not feeling great, you can say “Pas mal” (not bad) or “Comme ci, comme ça” (so‑so) to keep the conversation light.