When you should say I am fine in Russian and when you shouldn’t

Last time we talked about how to say ‘How are you?’ («Как дела?») and why Russians like to say ‘How are you?’ more than once.

Now I am going to tell you one curious thing about how to reply to this phrase and you will learn when you should say I am fine in Russian and when you’d better not.
Read and learn!

When you are asked «Как дела?» (‘How are you?’) you are more than likely to receive a copy of your answer when you ask ‘And you?’ in return. Here are some examples for you.

1. How are you? – I’m fine, and you? – Fine as well. («Как дела?» — «Нормально, как у тебя?» — «Тоже нормально».)

If somebody tells you that they are OK, just copy their answer — that’s how it works in Russian.

2. How are you? – Great, and you? – Me too, great. («Как дела?» — «Отлично, как у тебя?» — «Тоже отлично».)

3. How are you? – Not bad, you? – Not bad as well. («Как дела?» — «Ничего, как у тебя?» — «Тоже ничего» — see the previous posts on what other meanings has «ничего»).

It’s kind of a polite way to say that you are also ‘not bad’ instead of ‘super great’ if your interlocutor is ‘not bad’. Or not to overload those who are ‘super great’ with a dull ‘fine’. So don’t say I am fine in Russian when somebody tells you that they are not.

Hope this one helps! Speak Russian like Russians and remember to subscribe for staying tuned!

Free Russian audio lessons online: words, pronunciation, texts. When you should say I am fine in Russian and when you shouldn’t