does genki desu means how are you? or I'm fine?


does genki desu mean "how are you?" or "I am fine"




Short answer: most probably "I'm fine". But it may be used as "how are you?"
too, assuming the question mark was omitted.

* * *

You used the word "fine", which is a good translation for "genki". So here's
an example using "fine":

Donald: "Fine?"

Hillary: "Fine!"

In the above scenario, Donald was asking "(Are you doing) fine?". Hillary
answered "(Indeed I am doing) fine!". While not fit for a formal conversation,
it establishes casual communication. Genki has the same effect:

Donald: "Genki desu？" (Are you genki?)

Hillary: "Genki desu！" (Genki I am!)

* * *

However basically the one who asks should add a **" ka?"** at the end, to
clarify that he/she is asking a question: "Genki desu **ka**?" verbosely
expresses "Genki **is it**?" or "Genki **are you** "?

Therefore when you see the phrase "Genki desu", we can't deny the possibility
of it being a question, but it probably is a statement saying "I am fine".

If this was a verbal conversation, the pitch accent would help clarify just
like how a question mark would.

