German Phrase
Wie geht's?
Meaning
Literally “How goes it?” but in everyday German it means “How are you?” or “How’s it going?”. It’s a friendly, informal way to check on someone’s wellbeing.
When to use
Use it when greeting friends, classmates, or colleagues you know well. In formal settings or with strangers, opt for the full form "Wie geht es Ihnen?".
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wiegeht's
Wie (How)
An interrogative adverb used to ask about manner or condition.
geht (goes)
Third‑person singular present of the verb gehen, used idiomatically to mean ‘to be (well)’ in this expression.
's (contraction)
Short for "es"; the phrase "Wie geht es?" contracts to "Wie geht's?" in informal speech.
🗨In Conversation
Hey Anna, wie geht's?
Hey Anna, how’s it going?
Gut, danke! Und dir?
Good, thanks! And you?
✕Common Mistakes
Wie geht du?
The verb must stay in third‑person singular; you cannot conjugate it to match "du" here.
Wie geht's du?
The contraction "'s" already includes the pronoun "es"; adding "du" is redundant.
Wie geht es du?
When using "es", the correct dative pronoun is "dir", not "du".
↔Alternatives
Wie geht es dir?
How are you? (informal)
Wie geht es Ihnen?
How are you? (formal)
Alles klar?
Everything okay?
Was macht das Leben?
How’s life?
Cultural Tip
German small talk often stays brief. "Wie geht's?" is usually answered with a short "Gut, danke" or "Nicht schlecht". If you want to sound more polite or are speaking to someone you don’t know well, use the full "Wie geht es Ihnen?". In southern Germany you’ll also hear "Wie geht’s denn?" adding a friendly nuance.