Bonjour is a classic greeting, but sometimes you need something a bit more casual, right? When you're chatting with friends or just want to sound more natural and blend in, knowing how to say "what's up" in French is essential. Let’s explore 9 different ways to casually greet someone and truly connect in French!

The standard 'how are you' – Ça va ?

The standard 'how are you' – Ça va ?

Ça va ? is the most common and versatile way to ask 'How are you?' in French.

Literally, Ça va ? translates to 'It goes?' or 'It's going?'. The 'ça' refers to 'it' or 'things' in general, and 'va' is the third-person singular conjugation of the verb aller (to go).

This phrase is widely used in informal situations among friends, family, and acquaintances. It's your go-to informal greeting.

One of the unique aspects of Ça va ? is that it can be both a question and an answer. You ask Ça va ? and you can also respond with Ça va.

When asked Ça va ?, you can respond in several ways: Ça va bien (I'm doing well/It's going well), Ça va (I'm fine/It's fine), Ça va mal (I'm not doing well/It's going badly), or Comme ci, comme ça (So-so).

A typical exchange might look like this: 'Salut, ça va ?' (Hi, how are you?) - 'Ça va, merci. Et toi ?' (I'm fine, thanks. And you?).

It's polite to follow up your answer with Et toi ? (And you? - informal) or Et vous ? (And you? - formal/plural) to return the question.

While incredibly common, Ça va ? is generally informal. For more formal situations, such as addressing someone you don't know well, a superior, or an elder, it's better to use Comment allez-vous ? (How are you? - formal/plural) or Comment vas-tu ? (How are you? - informal, but more complete than Ça va ?).

You'll hear Ça va ? everywhere in France and other French-speaking countries. It's a fundamental part of daily greetings, often used even when passing someone briefly, much like 'How are you?' or 'How's it going?' in English, without always expecting a detailed answer.

💡 * Salut, Pierre, ça va ? (Hi, Pierre, how are you?)* Oui, ça va bien, merci ! (Yes, I'm doing well, thanks!)* Comment ça va aujourd'hui ? (How's it going today?)* Ça va, et vous ? (I'm fine, and you?)* Non, ça ne va pas très bien. (No, I'm not doing very well.)

The 'what's new' – Quoi de neuf ?

When you want to ask 'What's new?' in French, the most common and informal way to do so is with the phrase Quoi de neuf ?

This versatile expression is perfect for catching up with friends, family, or casual acquaintances. It's equivalent to saying 'What's up?' or 'Anything new?' in English.

Literally, Quoi means 'What', and neuf means 'new' (in the sense of something recently made or discovered, as opposed to nouveau which means new in terms of something different or another one). So, Quoi de neuf ? asks 'What of new?' or 'What's new?'

Common responses can range from 'Rien de neuf.' (Nothing new.) if things are quiet, to 'Pas grand-chose.' (Not much.) or sharing recent news about your life.

Quoi de neuf ? is decidedly informal. While it's generally safe to use in most casual settings, avoid it in very formal situations or when addressing someone you don't know well, especially in a professional context.

💡 * Salut Marc, quoi de neuf ? (Hi Marc, what's new?)* Quoi de neuf ? Ça fait longtemps ! (What's new? It's been a long time!)* Rien de neuf de mon côté, et toi ? (Nothing new on my end, and you?)* Alors, quoi de neuf depuis la semaine dernière ? (So, what's new since last week?)* Pas grand-chose, juste le travail habituel. (Not much, just the usual work.)

The 'how's it going' (casual) – Comment ça va ?

When you want to ask someone 'How's it going?' in a casual, friendly way in French, the most common phrase you'll hear and use is Comment ça va ?

Literally, Comment ça va ? translates to 'How it goes?' or 'How goes it?'

This phrase is highly versatile and suitable for almost any informal situation, whether you're greeting a friend, a family member, or someone you know well.

Common responses include Ça va bien (It's going well), Ça va mal (It's going badly), Ça va comme ci comme ça (It's going so-so), or simply Ça va (It's going/I'm fine) which can also be a question itself!

Even more casually, you can often just say Ça va ? as a question, which still means 'How are you?' or 'How's it going?'

To ask someone how they are doing in return, you can add et toi ? (and you? - informal) or et vous ? (and you? - formal/plural) after your response.

💡 *Salut, Pierre ! Comment ça va ? (Hi, Pierre! How's it going?)*Ça va bien, merci, et toi ? (It's going well, thanks, and you?)*Ça va. Je suis un peu fatigué. (I'm fine. I'm a bit tired.)*Ça va ? Oui, ça va. (How are you? Yes, I'm fine.)

The 'how's it rolling' (slang) – Ça roule ?

Ça roule ? literally translates to “Does it roll?” or “Is it rolling?”

It’s a very common, informal way to ask “How are you?” or “How’s it going?” among friends and acquaintances in French.

Think of it as the French equivalent of “How’s it rolling?”, “What’s up?”, “How are things?”, or “Everything good?”

Typical responses include Ça roule ! (Everything's good!), Oui, ça roule. (Yes, it's going well.), or Bof, ça roule. (Eh, it's okay.)

💡 * Salut Marie, ça roule ? (Hey Marie, how's it going?)

Oui, ça roule, merci ! Et toi ? (Yes, it's going well, thanks! And you?)

Ça roule pas mal, je suis content. (It's going pretty well, I'm happy.)

Bof, ça roule. Pas grand-chose de nouveau. (Eh, it's okay. Nothing much new.)

The 'what's good' (youth slang) – Ça dit quoi ?

The 'what's good' (youth slang) – Ça dit quoi ?

Ça dit quoi ? is a very informal French slang phrase that literally translates to 'What does it say?' but is used to mean 'What's up?', 'What's good?', or 'How's it going?'

This expression is highly informal and is predominantly used among young people. It's a casual greeting, similar to saying 'Yo' or 'Hey' in English, but with a nuance of asking 'What's new?' or 'What's happening?'

It's common in French youth culture and is best reserved for conversations with friends or people your age in very relaxed settings. Avoid using it in formal situations or with elders, as it would be considered disrespectful.

This phrase exemplifies modern French street and youth slang, showcasing how language evolves to create new, concise ways to communicate common greetings.

💡 * Salut, ça dit quoi ? (Hey, what's good?)

Ça dit quoi les gars ? On se capte plus tard ? (What's up guys? Shall we catch up later?)

Je t'ai pas vu depuis longtemps, ça dit quoi ? (Haven't seen you in a while, what's up?)

The 'everything okay' – Tout va bien ?

The phrase Tout va bien ? directly translates to "Is everything okay?" or "All good?". It's a fundamental and highly versatile expression in French, used across various situations to inquire about someone's well-being or the status of a situation.

The meaning and intent behind Tout va bien ? can subtly shift depending on the context and the speaker's tone. It can convey genuine concern, a polite check-in, or simply a casual greeting, similar to how "You good?" or "Everything alright?" are used in English. It's often used when noticing a change in someone's demeanor or after an event.

When asked Tout va bien ?, common responses include Oui, tout va bien, merci. (Yes, everything is fine, thank you.), Non, pas vraiment. (No, not really.), or a simple Ça va. (I'm fine/It's fine.). The choice of response depends on how you're feeling and how much information you wish to share.

While Tout va bien ? focuses on the general state of things, it's closely related to other common phrases. For instance, Ça va ? is a more direct "How are you?" or "Is it going well?". You might also hear Tout va bien se passer. (Everything will be alright.), which offers reassurance.

💡 * Bonjour ! Tout va bien ce matin ? (Good morning! Is everything okay this morning?)

Tu as l'air fatigué. Tout va bien ? (You look tired. Is everything okay?)

Après l'accident, le policier a demandé : "Tout va bien ?" (After the accident, the police officer asked, "Is everything okay?")

Ne t'inquiète pas, tout va bien se passer. (Don't worry, everything will be alright.)

J'espère que tout va bien pour toi et ta famille. (I hope everything is going well for you and your family.)

The 'is it gassing' (slang) – Ça gaze ?

The phrase Ça gaze ? is a common, informal French slang expression used to ask 'How's it going?' or 'Is everything alright?' It's a casual way to check in with someone.

Literally, gazer means 'to gas' or 'to spray gas,' but in this context, it takes on a figurative meaning. Think of it like a machine 'gassing' or running smoothly. When you ask Ça gaze ?, you're essentially asking if things are 'running smoothly' for the person.

Ça gaze ? is exclusively used in informal settings among friends, family, or people you know well. It's similar to saying 'What's up?' or 'How are you doing?' in English. The typical response is often Ça gaze ! (It's going well!) or Ça ne gaze pas trop. (It's not going too well.).

💡 * Salut, Pierre ! Ça gaze ? (Hi, Pierre! How's it going?)

Alors, ton nouveau travail, ça gaze ? (So, your new job, how's it going?)

Ça gaze les amis ? On va prendre un café ? (How's it going, friends? Shall we grab a coffee?)

Non, ça ne gaze pas trop aujourd'hui, je suis fatigué. (No, it's not going too well today, I'm tired.)

The 'so, what's up' (very informal) – Alors, quoi ?

The 'so, what's up' (very informal) – Alors, quoi ?

Alors, quoi ? directly translates to "So, what?" or "Well, what?" but is used colloquially to mean "So, what's up?" or "What's new?"

This phrase is extremely informal and typically used among very close friends or family. It sets a casual, relaxed tone, often initiating a conversation or checking in.

It's a very direct way to ask for news or updates, similar to "Ça va ?" but with an even more laid-back feel. You might hear it followed by "De beau ?" (What's good? / What's new and good?).

💡 * Salut ! Alors, quoi ? (Hey! So, what's up?)

On ne s'est pas vus depuis longtemps. Alors, quoi de neuf ? (We haven't seen each other in a long time. So, what's new?)

Tu es là ? Alors, quoi ? (You're here? So, what's up?)

Alors, quoi ? Raconte-moi tout ! (So, what's up? Tell me everything!)

The 'how are you doing' (friendly) – Comment vas-tu ?

When you want to ask someone 'How are you?' in a friendly, informal way in French, the most common phrase you'll use is Comment vas-tu ?

Literally translating to 'How are you going?', Comment vas-tu ? is perfect for friends, family, children, and anyone you know well. It's the equivalent of asking 'How are you doing?' or 'How's it going?' among peers.

The key to its friendly nature lies in the use of the pronoun tu. In French, tu is the informal singular 'you,' reserved for close relationships or when addressing children. This immediately signals a casual and personal interaction.

It's important to distinguish Comment vas-tu ? from its formal counterpart, Comment allez-vous ?. While both mean 'How are you?', Comment allez-vous ? uses the formal 'vous' and is appropriate for strangers, elders, or professional settings. Using Comment vas-tu ? shows familiarity and warmth.

💡 * Salut Marie, comment vas-tu aujourd'hui ? (Hi Marie, how are you today?)

Je t'appelle pour savoir comment tu vas. (I'm calling to know how you are.)

Comment vas-tu depuis la dernière fois qu'on s'est vus ? (How have you been since the last time we saw each other?)

Alors, mon ami, comment vas-tu ? (So, my friend, how are you doing?)

Dis-moi, comment vas-tu après tout ça ? (Tell me, how are you after all that?)

Are there other ways to say 'what's up' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'what's up' in French. But French is a dynamic language, rich with informal expressions, regional variations, and ever-evolving slang terms, some of which even native speakers might not be familiar with!

To discover more, you can perform an online search for 'comment dire quoi de neuf en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region, such as 'comment dire quoi de neuf en Belgique'.

You might uncover several interesting alternatives for 'what's up'. However, it's crucial to always check a word's definition and observe its usage in real-world contexts before using it yourself, especially with slang that can be highly specific.

As you engage with French media — be it reading, watching, or listening — pay close attention to casual dialogues and greetings. You'll naturally start picking up different ways people initiate conversation and ask 'what's up'.

And if you’re looking for more informal greetings or expressions related to asking 'what's new', the WordReference entry for common phrases like ça va, salut, or quoi de neuf is an excellent place to begin your exploration!

I hope this article has broadened your French vocabulary for casual greetings. The beauty of learning French lies in mastering these everyday expressions that make conversations feel natural and authentic. Keep practicing, and soon you'll be asking 'what's up' with confidence and flair!

9 ways to say "what's up" in French