How to Say "How Are You?" in 20 Indian Languages

"How are you?" in Hindi is आप कैसे हैं? (aap kaise hain?). It's the polite form, so you can say it to anyone. If you're asking a woman, it becomes आप कैसी हैं? (aap kaisi hain?), and with friends the short कैसे हो? (kaise ho?) is normal. The usual answer is मैं ठीक हूँ (main theek hoon), "I'm fine". In Tamil you'd hear எப்படி இருக்கீங்க? (eppadi irukkeenga?), and in Bengali আপনি কেমন আছেন? (apni kemon achhen?).

Below are the question and a standard reply in 20 of India's 22 scheduled languages. After the table come the languages that change the words for men and women, and the casual versions friends use with each other.

How do you say how are you in Indian languages?

The questions are in the polite form, which is the safe choice with anyone you don't know well. The one exception is Konkani, where the table follows the government booklet and uses the familiar तूं (tum).

Language	How are you?	I'm fine
Assamese	আপুনি কেনে আছে? (apuni kene ase?)	মই ভালে আছোঁ (moi bhale asu)
Bengali	আপনি কেমন আছেন? (apni kemon achhen?)	আমি ভালো আছি (ami bhalo achhi)
Bodo	नोंथाङा माबोरै दं? (nwngthanga mabwrwi dong?)	आं मोजाङैनो दं (ang mwjangwinw dong)
Dogri	तुंदा केह् हाल ऐ? (tunda keh haal ae?)	आंऊँ ठीक आं (aaun theek aan)
Gujarati	તમે કેમ છો? (tame kem chho?)	હું મજામાં છું (hu majama chhu)
Hindi	आप कैसे हैं? (aap kaise hain?)	मैं ठीक हूँ (main theek hoon)
Kannada	ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ? (neevu hegiddeeri?)	ನಾನು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ (naanu chennagiddene)
Konkani	तूं कसो आसा? (to a man) तूं कशें आसा? (to a woman) (tum kaso asa? / tum kashem asa?)	हांव बरो आसां (man) हांव बरें आसां (woman) (haanv baro asaan / haanv barem asaan)
Maithili	अहाँ केहन छी? (ahan kehan chhi?)	हम ठीक छी (ham theek chhi)
Malayalam	സുഖമാണോ? (sukhamaano?)	എനിക്ക് സുഖമാണ് (enikku sukhamaanu)
Manipuri	ꯑꯗꯣꯝ ꯅꯨꯡꯉꯥꯏꯔꯤꯕꯔꯥ? (adom nungngairibara?)	ꯑꯩ ꯅꯨꯡꯉꯥꯏꯔꯤ (ei nungngairi)
Marathi	तुम्ही कसे आहात? (tumhi kase aahaat?)	मी ठीक आहे (mee theek aahe)
Nepali	तपाईं कस्तो हुनुहुन्छ? (tapain kasto hunuhunchha?)	म सन्चै छु (ma sanchai chhu)
Odia	ଆପଣ କେମିତି ଅଛନ୍ତି? (apana kemiti achhanti?)	ମୁଁ ଭଲ ଅଛି (mun bhala achhi)
Punjabi	ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਹੈ? (tuhada ki haal hai?)	ਮੈਂ ਠੀਕ ਹਾਂ (main theek haan)
Sanskrit	भवान् कथम् अस्ति? (to a man) भवती कथम् अस्ति? (to a woman) (bhavan katham asti? / bhavati katham asti?)	अहं कुशली अस्मि (man) अहं कुशलिनी अस्मि (woman) (aham kushali asmi / aham kushalini asmi)
Sindhi	توهان ڪيئن آهيو؟ (tavhan kian aahiyo?)	مان ٺيڪ آهيان (maan theek aahiyan)
Tamil	நீங்கள் எப்படி இருக்கிறீர்கள்? (neengal eppadi irukkireergal?)	நான் நன்றாக இருக்கிறேன் (naan nandraaga irukkiren)
Telugu	మీరు ఎలా ఉన్నారు? (meeru ela unnaru?)	నేను బాగున్నాను (nenu bagunnanu)
Urdu	آپ کیسے ہیں؟ (aap kaise hain?)	میں ٹھیک ہوں (main theek hoon)

Most rows follow the dialogue in the Indian government's Bhasha Sangam booklet, which teaches "How are you?" and "I am fine" in all 22 scheduled languages, and we cross-checked every phrase against at least one other dictionary or phrasebook. A few spellings differ from the booklet's on purpose. The booklet says it simplified its Devanagari and Roman spellings for children, which is why its Konkani reply reads हाव बरे आसा, where standard Konkani spelling has nasal marks: हांव बरें आसां.

Kashmiri and Santali aren't in the table yet. For Kashmiri, the references we checked agree on how the question sounds but not on how to write it in the Perso-Arabic script. For Santali, ᱪᱮᱫ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱢᱟ? (ched leka menama?) appears in more than one source, but the sources give different replies, and we haven't confirmed which one Santali speakers use day to day.

Which languages change "how are you" for men and women?

Hindi and Urdu change the question to match the person you're asking: कैसे (kaise) for a man, कैसी (kaisi) for a woman. The reply मैं ठीक हूँ (main theek hoon) stays the same for everyone, because ठीक (theek) doesn't change. "I'm well" does change with the speaker: a man says मैं अच्छा हूँ (main achchha hoon) and a woman मैं अच्छी हूँ (main achchhi hoon).

Marathi changes the familiar question: तू कसा आहेस? (tu kasa aahes?) to a man and तू कशी आहेस? (tu kashi aahes?) to a woman.

Konkani changes both lines. Ask a man तूं कसो आसा? (tum kaso asa?) and a woman तूं कशें आसा? (tum kashem asa?). Some speakers use कशी (kashi) for a woman instead. The answer follows the speaker, so a man says हांव बरो आसां (haanv baro asaan) and a woman हांव बरें आसां (haanv barem asaan). These questions use the familiar तूं (tum). With elders and strangers, Konkani speakers switch to the plural tumi.

Sanskrit also changes both. You ask a man भवान् कथम् अस्ति? (bhavan katham asti?) and a woman भवती कथम् अस्ति? (bhavati katham asti?). A man answers अहं कुशली अस्मि (aham kushali asmi), and a woman अहं कुशलिनी अस्मि (aham kushalini asmi).

Bengali, Assamese and Odia verbs don't change for gender at all, and neither do the polite forms in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, so those rows in the table work for everyone.

What are the casual ways to ask "how are you"?

Most Indian languages have a polite "you" and at least one familiar "you". Use the polite form with anyone older than you or anyone you've just met, and switch only when they do.

Hindi and Urdu

With friends, people your age and children, Hindi uses the familiar तुम (tum): तुम कैसे हो? (tum kaise ho?), often shortened to कैसे हो? (kaise ho?). Another everyday question is क्या हाल है? (kya haal hai?), literally "what's the condition?". To ask back, add और आप? (aur aap?), "and you?". Spoken Urdu uses the same words, written آپ کیسی ہیں؟ (aap kaisi hain?) to a woman and کیا حال ہے؟ (kya haal hai?) for the casual question. The government booklet gives a more formal Urdu reply, میں خیریت سے ہوں (main khairiyat se hoon), "I am well", and many speakers follow "I'm fine" with alhamdulillah, "praise be to God". See the Hindi phrases page and 50 common Hindi phrases.

Bengali

Bengali has three levels of "you". আপনি (apni) is polite. তুমি কেমন আছ? (tumi kemon achho?) is for friends and family, and তুই কেমন আছিস? (tui kemon achhish?) is for very close friends and younger relatives, so don't use it with someone you've just met. The reply আমি ভালো আছি (ami bhalo achhi) fits all three. More on the Bengali phrases page.

Tamil

Written and spoken Tamil differ a lot, and this phrase shows it. The table has the formal written question. In conversation people say எப்படி இருக்கீங்க? (eppadi irukkeenga?), and the usual answer is நல்லா இருக்கேன் (nallaa irukken), "I'm good". Use the spoken forms with friends and colleagues and keep the written ones for letters and speeches. Practise on the Tamil phrases page.

Telugu

మీరు (meeru) is the respectful "you", so the question in the table is safe with anyone. Among people who know each other, you'll often hear బాగున్నారా? (bagunnara?), "are you well?", instead. The reply నేను బాగున్నాను (nenu bagunnanu) means "I am well". More on the Telugu phrases page.

Malayalam

Malayalam doesn't ask "how". സുഖമാണോ? (sukhamaano?) means "are you well?", and the answer is എനിക്ക് സുഖമാണ് (enikku sukhamaanu) or just സുഖമാണ് (sukhamaanu). Friends also ask എന്തൊക്കെയുണ്ട്? (enthokkeyundu?), roughly "what's new?". See the Malayalam phrases page.

Gujarati

Kem chho often replaces hello altogether. તમે (tame) is the polite "you", and among close friends you'll also hear કેમ છે? (kem chhe?). The classic reply હું મજામાં છું (hu majama chhu) literally means something like "I'm enjoying myself". મને સારું છે (mane saru chhe), "I'm well", is also common. Practise on the Gujarati phrases page.

Marathi

तुम्ही (tumhi) is the polite "you", and तू (tu) is for friends, with the gendered forms shown above. Besides मी ठीक आहे (mee theek aahe), you can answer मी छान आहे (mee chhaan aahe), "I'm good". See the Marathi phrases page.

Kannada

ನೀವು (neevu) is the polite "you". Many people leave it out and simply ask ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಾ? (hegiddeera?). The reply ನಾನು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ (naanu chennagiddene) means "I am well".

Punjabi

The question in the table literally asks "what is your condition?". ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ? (tusi kiven ho?) is a more direct "how are you?" and is just as correct. Besides ਮੈਂ ਠੀਕ ਹਾਂ (main theek haan), people answer ਮੈਂ ਵਧੀਆ ਹਾਂ (main vadhiya haan), "I'm doing well". See the Punjabi phrases page.

Odia

ଆପଣ (apana) is the polite "you". With friends and children, ask ତୁମେ କେମିତି ଅଛ? (tume kemiti achha?). Reply ମୁଁ ଭଲ ଅଛି (mun bhala achhi), and add ଆପଣ? (apana?) to ask back.

Assamese

আপুনি (apuni) is polite. With friends, ask তুমি কেনে আছা? (tumi kene asa?). The reply মই ভালে আছোঁ (moi bhale asu) means "I'm fine".

Nepali

हुनुहुन्छ (hunuhunchha) is the honorific form of "are", which makes this question respectful enough for anyone. The reply म सन्चै छु (ma sanchai chhu) means "I am well". You'll also see सन्चै spelled सञ्चै.

Maithili

अहाँ (ahan) is the respectful "you". A more casual question is की हाल चाल? (ki haal chaal?), "how are things?". Both हम ठीक छी (ham theek chhi) and हम नीक छी (ham neek chhi) mean "I am well".

Dogri

Like Punjabi, Dogri asks "what is your condition?". The reply आंऊँ ठीक आं (aaun theek aan) means "I am fine". The word for "I" is spelled in more than one way in print: the government booklet writes आंऊँ, and other references write अ'ऊं.

Sindhi

توهان (tavhan) is the polite "you". Sindhi is usually written in a Perso-Arabic script with extra letters such as ڪ and ٺ. In India it is also written in Devanagari, where the same exchange is तव्हां कीअं आहियो? and मां ठीक आहियां.

Bodo

The table gives the question from the government booklet. A casual alternative is मा खबर? (ma khobor?), "what's the news?". In Bodo romanization, w stands for a vowel English doesn't have, an "oo" said with the lips spread.

Manipuri

The question in the table means "are you well?". The answer ꯑꯩ ꯅꯨꯡꯉꯥꯏꯔꯤ (ei nungngairi) means "I am well" and comes from a root meaning happy or pleasant. Another way to ask is ꯀꯝꯗꯧꯕꯤꯔꯤꯕꯒꯦ? (kamdoubiribage?), "how are you doing?". Meitei Mayek spellings still vary between publications, so you may see these words written slightly differently. Learn the script on the Manipuri alphabet page.

Is "how are you" used as a greeting in India?

Often, yes. In several languages the question does the job of hello. Gujarati speakers open with kem chho, Malayalis with sukhamaano and Telugu speakers with bagunnara. In Hindi, people more often say namaste first and then ask aap kaise hain.

For the rest of a first conversation, see how to introduce yourself in Indian languages and thank you in Indian languages.

The exchange sticks once you've said it out loud a few times to someone who answers back. In Indilingo, the Speak tab gives you that with an AI tutor, in everyday situations or in General Practice, and the free plan includes free minutes. You can learn any of the 22 scheduled Indian languages from any other language the app supports, with explanations in your own language, on Android or iOS.

FAQ

How do you say how are you in Hindi?

Say आप कैसे हैं? (aap kaise hain?) to be polite, or आप कैसी हैं? (aap kaisi hain?) to a woman. With friends, कैसे हो? (kaise ho?) is normal.

How do you reply to how are you in Hindi?

Say मैं ठीक हूँ (main theek hoon), "I'm fine". It's the same for men and women. Add और आप? (aur aap?) to ask back.

How do you say how are you in Tamil?

In conversation, say எப்படி இருக்கீங்க? (eppadi irukkeenga?). The formal written form is நீங்கள் எப்படி இருக்கிறீர்கள்? (neengal eppadi irukkireergal?). Reply நல்லா இருக்கேன் (nallaa irukken), "I'm good".

How do you say how are you in Bengali?

Say আপনি কেমন আছেন? (apni kemon achhen?) to be polite, or তুমি কেমন আছ? (tumi kemon achho?) to a friend. The reply is আমি ভালো আছি (ami bhalo achhi).

What does kaise ho mean?

कैसे हो? (kaise ho?) is casual Hindi and Urdu for "how are you?". It goes with the familiar तुम (tum), so use it with friends rather than elders. To a woman, say कैसी हो? (kaisi ho?).

What is the reply to kem chho?

Say હું મજામાં છું (hu majama chhu), "I'm fine", or મને સારું છે (mane saru chhe), "I'm well".