Phrase in 30 Seconds
A versatile, slightly unenthusiastic way to say 'it's okay' or 'so-so' in response to how things are going.
- Means: Things are average, neither particularly good nor bad.
- Used in: Casual greetings, reviewing food, or describing a movie's quality.
- Don't confuse: With 'Es geht um...', which means 'It is about...'
Explanation at your level:
Meaning
Indicating an average, moderate, or neither good nor bad state.
Cultural Background
Germans value 'Ehrlichkeit' (honesty) over 'Höflichkeit' (politeness) in small talk. Saying 'Es geht so' is seen as more authentic than a fake 'Gut'. In the North, people are known for being 'wortkarg' (laconic). 'Es geht so' or 'Muss ja' are standard, almost positive responses. Swiss German speakers might use 'Es gaht so' (Swiss dialect version). The Swiss often prefer even more cautious understatements. Austrians might use 'Es geht so' but often lean towards 'Passt schon' or 'Eh okay' to express the same sentiment with a bit more 'Gemütlichkeit'.
The Shrug
When saying 'Es geht so', a slight shoulder shrug and a neutral facial expression make you sound 100% more native.
Not for Bosses
Avoid using this with your boss when they ask about your work progress. It sounds like you don't care or are failing.
The Shrug
When saying 'Es geht so', a slight shoulder shrug and a neutral facial expression make you sound 100% more native.
Not for Bosses
Avoid using this with your boss when they ask about your work progress. It sounds like you don't care or are failing.
The 'Ach' Addition
Adding 'Ach' at the beginning ('Ach, es geht so') makes you sound more natural and slightly more resigned.
Honesty is Key
Don't be afraid to use this! Germans appreciate that you aren't pretending to be 'perfect' all the time.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing words to complete the common response.
A: Wie geht es dir heute? B: Ach, ___ ___ ___.
'Es geht so' is the standard impersonal response for 'so-so'.
Which response is most appropriate if you thought a movie was mediocre?
War {der|m} Film gut?
'Es geht so' indicates the movie was neither great nor terrible.
Match the response to the situation.
Situation: You have a slight cold and someone asks how you are.
It accurately reflects a non-critical but non-perfect health state.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural German phrase.
Kellner: Schmeckt {das|n} Essen? Gast: ____. Es ist etwas kalt.
The guest is providing a mild criticism, making 'Es geht so' the perfect fit.
Match the German phrase to its English equivalent.
1. Es geht so. 2. Mir geht es gut. 3. Schlecht.
Simple vocabulary matching.
In which situation should you AVOID saying 'Es geht so'?
Context: Professionalism
In a professional context, 'Es geht so' sounds non-committal and potentially negative.
🎉 Score: /6
Visual Learning Aids
Formality Levels
Practice Bank
7 exercisesA: Wie geht es dir heute? B: Ach, ___ ___ ___.
'Es geht so' is the standard impersonal response for 'so-so'.
War {der|m} Film gut?
'Es geht so' indicates the movie was neither great nor terrible.
Situation: You have a slight cold and someone asks how you are.
It accurately reflects a non-critical but non-perfect health state.
Kellner: Schmeckt {das|n} Essen? Gast: ____. Es ist etwas kalt.
The guest is providing a mild criticism, making 'Es geht so' the perfect fit.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Simple vocabulary matching.
Context: Professionalism
In a professional context, 'Es geht so' sounds non-committal and potentially negative.
🎉 Score: /7
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it's not rude, but it is informal. It's an honest answer. However, using it for a gift someone gave you might be a bit hurtful.
Yes! 'Geht so' is very common in casual speech and texting.
'Naja' is more of a filler like 'Well...' while 'Es geht so' is a complete answer about quality or well-being.
You could say 'Es ist annehmbar' (It is acceptable) or 'Es ist befriedigend' (It is satisfactory).
No, it literally means 'in the middle'. It's not bad, but it's not good either.
You can use it to describe how someone is doing, but describing a person as 'Es geht so' (meaning they are a mediocre person) is unusual and sounds strange.
Yes, it is universally understood and used throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
There isn't one direct opposite, but 'Sehr gut' (Very good) or 'Hervorragend' (Excellent) are the positive extremes.
Yes: 'Es ging so' (It was so-so).
Because in German, your well-being is something that 'happens' or 'goes' to you. It's an impersonal state.
Related Phrases
Geht so
synonymShortened version of 'Es geht so'.
Wie geht's?
builds onHow are you?
Muss ja
similarIt has to (go).
Passt schon
similarIt's fine / It fits.
Nicht so gut
contrastNot so good.
Lala
synonymSo-so.
Where to Use It
Meeting a neighbor in the hallway
Nachbar: Hallo! Wie geht's heute?
Du: Ach, es geht so. Viel Arbeit, Sie wissen ja.
Reviewing a new Netflix show
Freund: Hast du die neue Serie gesehen? War sie gut?
Du: Es geht so. Die erste Folge war okay, aber dann wurde es langweilig.
At a restaurant with a friend
Freund: Wie ist deine Pasta?
Du: Es geht so. Ein bisschen zu viel Salz.
After a job interview (talking to a spouse)
Partner: Und? Wie lief das Gespräch?
Du: Es geht so. Ich war sehr nervös.
Discussing the weather
Kollege: Schönes Wetter heute, oder?
Du: Es geht so. Es ist ziemlich windig.
In a clothing store
Verkäufer: Passt {das|n} Hemd?
Du: Es geht so. Es ist an den Schultern etwas eng.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a 'Seesaw' (S-O S-O). If the seesaw is perfectly balanced in the middle, 'Es geht so.'
Visual Association
Imagine a person walking (gehen) on a very flat, gray road. There are no hills (good) and no holes (bad). They are just walking 'so'.
Rhyme
Nicht gut, nicht k.o., es geht so.
Story
A traveler arrives in a gray town. He asks the baker, 'How is the bread?' The baker shrugs and says, 'Es geht so.' He asks the driver, 'How is the car?' The driver shrugs and says, 'Es geht so.' The traveler realizes this is the land of the middle ground.
In Other Languages
English has 'so-so', French has 'comme ci, comme ça', and Spanish has 'más o menos'. All use a repetitive or comparative structure to indicate the middle.
Word Web
Challenge
Try to use 'Es geht so' at least three times today when someone asks you a 'How' or 'Is it good' question.
Review this phrase whenever you feel 'meh' about your German progress. It's the perfect description!
Pronunciation
Short 'e' sound, like in 'set'.
Long 'e' sound, like the 'a' in 'gate' but without the 'i' sound at the end.
The 's' is voiced like a 'z', and the 'o' is long.
Formality Spectrum
Es ist akzeptabel. (General state)
Es ist okay. (General state)
Es geht so. (General state)
Geht fit. (General state)
The phrase stems from the verb 'gehen' (to go) and the adverb 'so'. In Germanic languages, 'going' has long been a metaphor for 'faring' or 'happening'.
Fun Fact
The phrase is so iconic that it's often one of the first idioms taught to diplomats to help them understand German directness.
Cultural Notes
Germans value 'Ehrlichkeit' (honesty) over 'Höflichkeit' (politeness) in small talk. Saying 'Es geht so' is seen as more authentic than a fake 'Gut'.
“A: Wie geht's? B: Es geht so, ich bin müde.”
In the North, people are known for being 'wortkarg' (laconic). 'Es geht so' or 'Muss ja' are standard, almost positive responses.
“Moin! Wie läuft's? - Muss ja, ne?”
Swiss German speakers might use 'Es gaht so' (Swiss dialect version). The Swiss often prefer even more cautious understatements.
“Wie isch es gsi? - Es gaht so.”
Austrians might use 'Es geht so' but often lean towards 'Passt schon' or 'Eh okay' to express the same sentiment with a bit more 'Gemütlichkeit'.
“Passt scho, danke.”
Conversation Starters
Wie geht es dir heute nach der Arbeit?
Wie findest du {das|n} neue Restaurant in {der|f} Stadt?
Was hältst du von {der|f} neuen deutschen Serie auf Netflix?
Wie war dein Wochenende in Berlin?
Common Mistakes
It goes so.
Es geht so.
L1 Interference
Ich gehe so.
Es geht mir so-la-la. / Mir geht's okay.
L1 Interference
Es geht so gut.
Es geht mir sehr gut.
L1 Interference
Das Projekt geht so.
Das Projekt läuft ganz okay.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Más o menos
Spanish uses a comparative structure, German uses a movement metaphor.
Comme ci, comme ça
French uses a gestural/directional metaphor.
まあまあ (Mā mā)
Japanese uses reduplication for emphasis.
يعني (Yani)
Arabic uses a verb of meaning/signification.
还好 (Hái hǎo)
Chinese focuses on the 'still okay' aspect.
그저 그래요 (Geujeo geuraeyo)
Korean uses a descriptive verb form.
Mais ou menos
Virtually no difference in pragmatic application.
So-so
English uses 'so' twice; German uses 'it goes' + 'so'.
Spotted in the Real World
“ARD, ZDF, RTL, das geht so...”
A song listing many German abbreviations.
“Wie geht's deiner Mutter? - Es geht so.”
A character asking about another's sick parent.
“Und, wie ist {die|f} neue Arbeit? - Ach, es geht so.”
Alex describing his mundane job to his mother.
“Wie war euer Montag? - Geht so.”
A daily thread about how people's Mondays went.
Easily Confused
Both start with 'Es geht'.
If you see 'um', it means 'It is about'. If it ends with 'so', it's 'so-so'.
Learners think they should use 'Ich' for personal feelings.
Always use 'Es' for the state of things. 'Ich gehe' means you are physically walking.
Frequently Asked Questions (10)
No, it's not rude, but it is informal. It's an honest answer. However, using it for a gift someone gave you might be a bit hurtful.
usage contextsYes! 'Geht so' is very common in casual speech and texting.
practical tips'Naja' is more of a filler like 'Well...' while 'Es geht so' is a complete answer about quality or well-being.
comparisonsYou could say 'Es ist annehmbar' (It is acceptable) or 'Es ist befriedigend' (It is satisfactory).
grammar mechanicsNo, it literally means 'in the middle'. It's not bad, but it's not good either.
basic understandingYou can use it to describe how someone is doing, but describing a person as 'Es geht so' (meaning they are a mediocre person) is unusual and sounds strange.
usage contextsYes, it is universally understood and used throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
cultural usageThere isn't one direct opposite, but 'Sehr gut' (Very good) or 'Hervorragend' (Excellent) are the positive extremes.
comparisonsYes: 'Es ging so' (It was so-so).
grammar mechanicsBecause in German, your well-being is something that 'happens' or 'goes' to you. It's an impersonal state.
grammar mechanics
