German for Beginners: Say How You're Really Doing and Ask Back
Learn casual German responses to 'How are you?' beyond 'I'm fine', and how to return the question naturally.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In German, answering 'How are you?' with just 'Gut' can sound abrupt. This lesson teaches you varied, natural responses for casual conversations, such as expressing that you're pretty good or a bit tired, and how to ask the question back. You'll learn informal phrases to use with friends, family, and peers, and understand the difference from formal situations.
By the end, you can…
- respond to 'Wie geht's?' with a range of casual answers.
- ask 'How are you?' back in an informal conversation.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ganz gut, danke!
Pretty good, thanks!
gahnts goot, DAHN-kuh
A friendly, moderate positive response. Use with friends or acquaintances.
Ein bisschen müde heute.
A bit tired today.
ine BISS-khen MUE-duh HOY-tuh
Honest but not overly negative. Common in casual chats.
Und dir?
And you? (informal)
unt deer
Returns the question to someone you address with 'du'. Use after your response.
Nicht so gut.
Not so good.
nisht zo goot
A direct but still casual way to say you're not doing well.
Super, danke der Nachfrage!
Great, thanks for asking!
ZOO-puh, DAHN-kuh dair NAHK-frah-guh
Enthusiastic and appreciative. 'Danke der Nachfrage' is a polite addition.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To answer 'Wie geht's?' casually, you can use a short adverb + optional detail. For example: 'Ganz gut.' (Pretty good.), 'Ein bisschen müde.' (A bit tired.), 'Nicht so gut.' (Not so good.). You can add 'danke' for politeness: 'Ganz gut, danke.' To ask back informally, say 'Und dir?' (And you?) or 'Wie geht's dir?' (How are you?). Note that 'dir' is the informal dative form of 'du'.
When to use it
Use these casual phrases with friends, family, classmates, and people you address with 'du'. For example, with a friend: 'Hey, wie geht's?' – 'Ganz gut, danke. Und dir?' In formal situations (with strangers, elders, or professionals), use 'Wie geht es Ihnen?' and respond with 'Gut, danke. Und Ihnen?' The informal 'Und dir?' is not appropriate with 'Sie'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hey, wie geht's?
Hey, how are you?high, vee GATESGanz gut, danke. Und dir?
Pretty good, thanks. And you?gahnts goot, DAHN-kuh. unt deerEin bisschen müde heute.
A bit tired today.ine BISS-khen MUE-duh HOY-tuhOh, dann ruh dich aus!
Oh, then get some rest!oh, dahn roo dish owsA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, casual conversations often use direct but not overly negative responses. Saying 'Nicht so gut' is acceptable among friends, but in formal contexts, people tend to be more reserved and might say 'Es geht' (It's okay) instead of sharing problems. Also, returning the question with 'Und dir?' is expected and shows interest.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Und du?' instead of 'Und dir?' to ask 'And you?' after 'Wie geht's?'
Try this instead: 'Wie geht's?' literally means 'How goes it?' and requires the dative pronoun 'dir' (to you). So the correct informal question is 'Und dir?' or 'Wie geht's dir?' Using 'Und du?' is grammatically wrong in this context. For formal, use 'Und Ihnen?'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'Pretty good, thanks!' in German?
Show a sample answer
Ganz gut, danke!
'Ganz gut' means 'pretty good', and 'danke' means 'thanks'. This is a common casual response.
2What is the informal way to ask 'And you?' after someone asks how you are?
Show a sample answer
Und dir?
'Und dir?' is the correct informal way. 'Und Ihnen?' is the formal version.
3Translate: 'A bit tired today.'
Show a sample answer
Ein bisschen müde heute.
'Ein bisschen' means 'a bit', 'müde' means 'tired', and 'heute' means 'today'. This is a natural casual response.
Use 'Ganz gut, danke' or 'Ein bisschen müde' for casual answers, and always ask back with 'Und dir?' to keep the conversation friendly.
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