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Comment allez-vous? Comment êtes-vous?. English speakers often confuse the two expressions that have very different meanings in French. Comment allez-vous?.
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Comment allez-vous?Comment êtes-vous? English speakers often confuse the two expressions that have very different meanings in French.
Comment allez-vous? • When I ask this question, I am concerned about your well being. I want to know that you are OK, or I am just being casually polite, and greeting you, exactly the same as when you ask people how they are in English.
Comment êtes-vous • Imagine we have a blind date and we want to be able to recognize each other. I want to know what you are like physically as a person. Etesvousgrand(e), petit(e), de taillemoyenne (average size)? Maigre, fort(e), gros(se)? Blond(e), brun(e), châtain, roux(rousse)? Blanc(he), noir(e), latin(e), arabe, asiatique…? (noir(e) doesn’t have any negative connotation in French, it is strictly a reference to skin color. There is no equivalent of African American in the French language.)
I could also be asking you to describe your character If I don’t know you well yet, I could ask you comment êtes-vous? To help me understand your personality. You would then proceed to describe yourself • Je suiscalme, énervé(e),anxieux(anxieuse), stressé(e) intelligent(e), optimiste, pessimiste, sociable, réservé(e), timide, dynamique, idéaliste, réaliste, sympathique, antipathique, agréable, désagréable, discipliné(e), indiscipliné(e), conformiste, anticonformiste, raisonnable, têtu(e), individualiste…