你最近怎么样
nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng
How have you been · trad. 你最近怎麼樣
你最近怎么样 (nǐ zuìjìn zěnmeyàng) is a common and friendly way to ask "how have you been lately?" or "how are things going with you recently?" It's used when you haven't seen someone for a while or want to catch up on their recent life.
When to use it
Neutral and friendly. For a more formal or polite version, you can use 您最近怎么样 (nín zuìjìn zěnmeyàng). A simpler, more direct way to ask "how are you?" is 你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma), but that's more for a general greeting. To reply, common answers include 挺好的 (tǐng hǎo de, "pretty good"), 还不错 (hái búcuò, "not bad"), or 马马虎虎 (mǎmǎhūhū, "so-so").
How to pronounce it
Sounds roughly like "nee ZWAY-jeen ZUN-muh-YANG." The "zěn" is a rising tone, and "yàng" is a falling tone.
Other ways to say it
- 你怎么样nǐ zěn me yànghow are you (more general, can also mean "what do you think?")
- 您最近怎么样nín zuì jìn zěn me yànghow have you been (polite)
- 最近过得好吗zuì jìn guò dé hǎo mahave you been doing well recently?
Examples
好久不见，你最近怎么样？
hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn ， nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng ？
Long time no see, how have you been?
你最近怎么样？工作还顺利吗？
nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng ？ gōng zuò hái shùn lì ma ？
How have you been? Is work going smoothly?
我最近很好，你最近怎么样？
wǒ zuì jìn hěn hǎo ， nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng ？
I've been very good, how have you been?
Pro tip: While 你怎么样 (nǐ zěnmeyàng) can mean "how are you," it can also mean "what do you think?" or "how about it?" Adding 最近 (zuìjìn, "recently") makes it clear you're asking about their recent well-being.
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
Want to speak Chinese for real?
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →