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Comment-allez vous vs. Ça va?

Which to use? I'm here again in Paris and in the States I was taught when you ask someone how they are, you say "Comment-allez vous?" - literally "How goes you?". But here very few people seem to use it, instead preferring "Ça va?", literally "It goes?", even in more formal situations where you would think they would use Comment-allez vous. Why?

My hypothesis: it's not the formality, or lack thereof, of the situation or the phrase. It's just the fact that "Ça va?" is much shorter and easier to say - two syllables versus the five of "Comment-allez vous?".

True? Je ne sais pas (I do not know) - I guess I will have to ask a native speaker.

Joe

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Cheek.HowAreYouDoing Last Author: Cheek  Date: 2005/11/09 13:33
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