Asking about their people
Conversation phrases, Stage 2chunk 17 of 71Small talk
Ask after someone's family, partner or a mutual friend.
- kazoku wa genki?how's your family?
- dou shiteruhow are they doing?; what are you up to these days?
- ii hito iru?seeing anyone?; anyone special?
Mix-ups dou shiteru (how are they doing) vs dou shita (what happened).
kazoku wa genki?
polite gokazoku wa ogenki desu ka?
how's your family?
Asked of a friend you haven't seen for a while; answer un, minna genki da yo (yeah, everyone's well).
The polite form honours their family with go- and o-; never use those for your own family.
sou ieba, kazoku wa genki? okaasan mo?
By the way, how's your family? Your mum too?
そういえば、家族は元気？お母さんも？
sou ieba, gokazoku wa ogenki desu ka?
By the way, how is your family?
そういえば、ご家族はお元気ですか？
Written 家族は元気？ · かぞくはげんき？ · ご家族はお元気ですか？Who you say it and hear itHeard 9× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
dou shiteru
polite dou shite imasu ka
how are they doing?; what are you up to these days?
Asks about someone's life now, often about a person who isn't there.
Often with kana: ima dou shiteru kana (I wonder how they're doing).
sotsugyou shite kara, minna dou shiteru?
How's everyone been since graduation?
卒業してから、みんなどうしてる？
sotsugyou shite kara, minasan dou shite imasu ka?
How is everyone doing since graduation?
卒業してから、皆さんどうしていますか？
Written どうしてる · どうしていますかWho you say it and hear itHeard 292× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
ii hito iru?
seeing anyone?; anyone special?
A personal question, often from relatives or older friends, about whether you have a partner.
Ii hito also just means 'a nice person', as in ii hito da ne.
saikin dou? dareka ii hito iru?
How are things? Seeing anyone?
最近どう？誰かいい人いる？
Written いい人いる？ · いいひといる？Who said to youHeard too rare in film subtitles to count