German Phrase
Mir geht's gut, danke.
Meaning
This is the standard and most common way to respond to the question 'Wie geht es dir?' (How are you?). It literally translates to 'To me it goes well,' indicating your current state of being.
When to use
Use this phrase in almost any social situation, from casual chats with friends to semi-formal interactions with colleagues, when someone asks how you are.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mirgeht'sgut,danke
Dative Case (Mir)
The phrase uses the dative pronoun 'mir' because the verb 'gehen' in this context functions impersonally with a dative object.
Contraction (geht's)
'Geht's' is a common contraction of 'geht es'. In spoken German, the 'es' is almost always shortened when following the verb.
🗨In Conversation
Hallo! Wie geht es dir heute?
Hello! How are you today?
Mir geht's gut, danke. Und selbst?
I'm doing well, thanks. And yourself?
✕Common Mistakes
Ich bin gut.
In German, 'Ich bin gut' means you are a good person or good at a skill, not that you are feeling well.
Mir geht gut.
You must include the 's' (contraction of 'es') because the phrase requires the impersonal subject 'it'.
↔Alternatives
Alles bestens.
Everything is great.
Es geht so.
It's going okay / so-so.
Sehr gut, und dir?
Very well, and you?
Cultural Tip
While 'Mir geht's gut' is a polite standard, Germans can be more literal than English speakers. In close friendships, people might actually tell you if they are having a bad day rather than just saying they are fine out of habit.