How to Ask About Well-Being – Examples and Variations

Let’s look at some examples. Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers. Как дела? (Kak dela?) Хорошо. (Khorosho.) Как дела? (Kak dela?) Хорошо. (Khorosho.) Как дела? (Kak dela?) Неплохо. (Neplokho.) Как дела? (Kak dela?) Неплохо. (Neplokho.) Как поживаете? (Kak pozhivayete?) Прекрасно. (Prekrasno) Как поживаете? (Kak pozhivayete?) Прекрасно. (Prekrasno.) Как дела? (Kak dela?) Отлично. (Otlichno.) Как дела? (Kak dela?) Отлично. (Otlichno.) Как дела? (Kak dela?) Хорошо. А у тебя? (Khorosho. A u tebya?) Как дела? (Kak dela?) Хорошо. А у тебя? (Khorosho. A u tebya?) Did you notice how I added the phrase “А у тебя?” (A u tebya?)? Хорошо. А у тебя? (Khorosho. A u tebya?) “(I’m) well, and you?” First is хорошо (khorosho), “well.” Хорошо. Next is “А у тебя?” (A u tebya?) “And you?” А у тебя? First is А. (A), “And.” А. А. Next is у тебя, “with you.” у тебя. у тебя. Together, it’s А у тебя? (A u tebya?) literally something like “And about you,” but translates as “And you?” А у тебя? You can use this phrase to reciprocate the question when someone asks you about your well being. For example, if someone says, Как дела? (Kak dela?) You can respond with, Хорошо. А у тебя? (Khorosho. A u tebya?) “I’m well. And you?” First, respond to the question. Then inquire about the other person’s well being with А у тебя? (A u tebya?) “And you?” Note, as тебя (tebya), “you,” is informal, this expression is appropriate for informal situations. Remember this pattern, Хорошо. А у тебя? (Khorosho. A u tebya?) you’ll see it again later. For formal situations you can use А у вас? (A u vas?). As a rule of thumb remember, when you’re asked Как дела? (Kak dela?) reply with your well being and А у тебя? (A u tebya?). When you’re asked Как поживаете? (Kak pozhivayete?) respond with your well-being and “А вы?” (A vy?) For example, Хорошо. А вы? “I’m fine. And you?”