How do you say “how are you” in English? Trivial, you must be thinking. From an early age they teach us the classic formula… How are you? Fine thanks and you? As if we were robots. I know that I will probably upset the space-time order for you now, but you will hardly hear a native speaker speak like that. In fact, there are many ways to ask “how are you” in English slang, and how are you in hindi word, much more used for this type of question so colloquial. So let’s take a look at 5 alternatives to the classic how are you? (And respective responses).
- How’s life?
It’s the equivalent of our “How’s your life? “. It is often used to address a person who has not been seen for a long time or to fill an embarrassing silence.
Example:
- How’s life?
- Same old same old. And you?
- Yeah, I can’t complain.
- Are you alright?
A very common question typical of Northern England and often shortened to pyrite?
Example:
- You alright?
- Yeah mate. All right?
- How’s it going?
Often this expression is shortened to how’s it going? And usually requires a short answer because the person asking the question is not interested in all the details of your personal life.
Example:
- How’s it going?
- Yeah good / fine / great. You?
- Not bad;
- Good.
- How are you doing?
Often abbreviated to How you doing? , this is an informal greeting to use when you already know a person. It has become a way of asking “how are you” in English slang made famous by Joey, a character from the well-known TV series Friends.
Example:
- How are you doing?
- I’m doing well thanks. And you?
- Great thanks.
- What’s new?
This type of greeting is usually employed by people who know each other and are looking for a way to start a short conversation.
Example:
- What’s new?
- Not much / Nothing really. What’s new with you?
Alternatives to “How are you?” “I’m fine!”
First of all, you need to know that when two Italians meet, they don’t always just say “How are you?”.
“How are you?”
“How are things going?”
“How are you?”
“How are you doing?”
“What’s up?” (the latter is especially common among young people!)
These are, of course, informal ways to address people we know well, who are more or less our age or with whom we are in any case familiar.
For someone we do not know and with whom we have to use a formal tone it is possible to use a classic “How are you?” (Yes, the formal language is a bit boring…).
Now the question is: how do you answer these questions? First of all, it is necessary to make a division between GOOD and BAD!
Alternatives to “I’m fine”:
Very well, never been better
“From God!” or “Great!”
For example
– Hey Hello! How are you?
– Hi! Well thanks! Never been better! I finally found the man of my life! Tall, handsome, rich and smart! Ah, and he also knows how to use subjunctives correctly!
– You will surely have watched LearnAmo’s video lessons on when to use the subjunctive and when NOT to use it !
Alternatives for intermediate situations:
If you are not over the moon, but are rather in an intermediate situation, you might say:
“Not bad!”
“Not bad!”
“Nothing special”
“I cannot complain!” or its variant “I’m not complaining!”
“It keeps going”
“It’s all OK”
“Everything ok” (although, to be honest, the latter alternative is used more often among young people than among adults)
For example:
– Ooh! Who’s back! How are things going?
– Hey there! Mh .. Not bad! Yesterday I met a handsome guy at the party, but I don’t know if he will make himself heard … And how’s your life?
– Not bad … I continue to work in the family business, but I plan to open a clothing store …
Speaking of clothing, take a look at our LearnAmo Collection online store and find the right product for you! There are so many!
Alternatives for “I’m sick”:
If, on the other hand, your life is not going very well, you are going through a hard time, you could answer:
“(I’m) so and so”
“In conclusion”
“Not much / too good”
“I’ve been better”
“I’ve seen better days”
Among the more informal expressions to say the same thing, we find:
“From dogs”
“From crap”
“Shit”
“A tragedy”
For example:
– Hey there! How are you?
– Like dogs! My guy dumped me and I just got a ticket!
– Who do you tell! A tragedy to me too!
Alternatives to receive updates:
Here are some questions (and answers) in case you want to ask someone more details about their life, about what happened in the last period:
It is a classic circumstance response, but it can open up to a subsequent dialogue.
Below you will find many other expressions that will allow you to positively answer the question “how are you” in English:
- I am fine.
- Pretty good.
- Not too bad.
- Yeah, all right
- I’m alive.
- Very well, thanks.
- I am doing really well.
- I am pretty standard right now.
- I’m hanging in there.
- I’ve been better.
- Nothing much.
- Not a lot.
- I am blessed!
- Sunshine all day long!
- Medium well.
- I am a high quality.
- Incredibly good looking.
Finally, there are also more imaginative and complex answers to the question, which you can find below:
- I’m better than I was, but not nearly as good as I am going to be!
- Well enough to chat with you if you wish to!
- Way better that I deserve!
- I think I am doing OK.
- I have a pulse, so I must be OK!
- Better than some, not as good as others!
- Much better now that you are with me!
- I would be lying if I’d said I’m fine.
- Surviving, I guess.
- In need of some peace and quiet
