How Are You in English: 20+ Questions and Answers About Health and Wellbeing

The short answer

The English “How are you?" (/haʊ ɑːr juː/) is not the same kind of question as “How are you?” in other languages, in English it is mainly a ritual greeting, and the expected answer is short and positive: “Good, thanks!" or “Fine, thanks!". This is one of the most common cultural surprises for English learners who are used to “How are you?” meaning real interest.

English is used today by about 1.5 billion people, with around 380 million native speakers, according to Ethnologue 2024. For English learners, one of the most useful insights is that greeting rituals, including “How are you?", are much more conventional than many people expect. The form matters more than the content.

“The main function of English greeting sequences is not information exchange, but the ritual reaffirmation of social relations. The content of the 'How are you?, Fine, thanks' exchange is irrelevant: the form itself is the message."

(Peter Trudgill and Jean Hannah, International English, Routledge, 2008)

This guide shows 20+ English “how are you” questions and answers by formality and context. For each one, you get IPA pronunciation, an example sentence, and a cultural explanation. If you want to support your English learning with real content, visit the Wordy English learning page.

Quick overview

The questions: How do we ask?

Native English speakers do not ask “how are you” in just one way. The form depends on the relationship, the level of formality, and also the variety of English, British or American. David Crystal, in The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (Cambridge University Press, 2019), points out that “how are you” type greeting questions exist across all English-speaking cultures, but their function and expected answers vary slightly.

How are you?

This is the most common and most universal “how are you” question in English. It sounds more formal than “How's it going?", but it is not nearly as stiff as the British “How do you do?". People use it with strangers, in business situations, and with colleagues.

The key thing to know is this: the expected answer is short and positive, no matter how you actually feel. “Good, thanks! And you?" is the native-speaker norm. English learners often surprise native speakers by giving an honest, detailed answer. Culturally, that does not fit.

How's it going?

How's it going? is the middle ground between “How are you?" and “What's up?". It is relaxed enough to sound friendly, and neutral enough to work with workplace acquaintances. Typical answers include “Pretty good, thanks!", “Not bad!", or “Good, you?".

How are things?

How are things? is more nuanced. It can refer not only to your general state, but also to specific areas of life. If you add a topic, like “How are things at work?", it shows extra interest.

What's up?

What's up? is one of the most typical casual English greetings. In fast speech, you may also hear “Wassup?" or “Sup?". The most natural answers are “Not much!", “Same old", or “Just chilling". Do not answer literally about what is “up", it sounds funny in English too.

How have you been?

How have you been? uses the present perfect, which signals you are asking about a period of time. People say it when they have not seen each other for a while. This question expects a bit more than a routine greeting, a short summary of the last few weeks is fine.

The answers: What do we say?

In English, answers to “how are you” are mostly conventional. According to Merriam-Webster data from 2026, the most common answers in English are clearly “Fine” and “Good”, almost regardless of how you really feel. This is a cultural norm, not hypocrisy.

Good, thanks!

This is the gold standard of English answers. It is short and positive, and the return question shows you also care about the other person. Always ask back, without “And you?" or just “You?", your answer can sound final, or even a bit grumpy.

Fine, thanks!

Fine is an interesting word. In its basic sense, it means the situation is acceptable, but intonation and context can make it neutral, ironic, or even irritated. As a greeting answer, it is always neutrally positive. If someone says “Fine…" with a sigh, it probably means things are not fine.

Not bad!

Not bad! is a great example of British understatement. When a Brit says “Not bad!", they often mean “Actually pretty good." This euphemistic style is especially British, but Americans understand and use it too. It sounds natural with a return question: “Not bad, thanks! How about you?"

Could be better

Could be better rarely appears with strangers or casual acquaintances. You use it when the other person is close enough to know something is not going great. It does not demand a detailed explanation. It opens the door to a deeper conversation if the other person wants it.

Can't complain

Can't complain is a classic example of British humor and calm understatement. If a Brit says “Can't complain", it almost certainly means everything is fine, they just do not brag. As British Council research from 2023 also notes, emotional restraint and understatement are key features of British communication style.

Formal options

Formal English greetings have their own “how are you” type questions. It is useful to know them for written communication, business meetings, and older acquaintances.

How do you do?

This is the strangest English “how are you” form for many learners. The answer is almost always the same phrase repeated back. Do not answer with “Fine, thanks!", people will think you misunderstood. It appears only in British formal introductions, Americans do not use it.

I trust you're well

I trust you're well is one of the most common formulas in written business English. It does not expect an answer. It is a polite gesture that signals the message is not only about tasks, but also about the relationship. Similar formulas include “I hope this email finds you well" or “Hope you're having a great week".

How are you keeping?

How are you keeping? is a characteristically British and Irish form. You will mostly hear it from older people, or between acquaintances who meet again after a long time. The word “keeping" points to health and general condition. If you hear it, the other person really cares, a short, honest answer is appropriate.

Cultural difference: English vs. English communication

Another key difference is this: in English, greeting questions usually do not invite complaining. If someone feels unwell and tells an old acquaintance, that can be normal in some cultures. In English, the same move in most situations, especially with strangers or casual acquaintances, can feel odd and create an awkward pause.

This does not mean English speakers are indifferent. With close friends, old acquaintances, or when someone clearly stops and asks, in those cases “How are you?" can be a real question. The key is recognizing the context.

Table of question and answer pairs

How do we express real concern?

So far, this has mainly been about the ritual “how are you” question. But what if you truly worry about someone? English also has ways to show real concern. The key is body language, context, and more specific questions.

If you really want to know whether someone is okay, these questions signal genuine concern:

• Are you okay? (/ɑːr juː oʊˈkeɪ/) , “Are you okay?” This clearly signals real concern, especially if the person looks sad or tired.
• Are you alright? , Similar, and very common in British English. With rising intonation it can be a greeting, but with flat intonation it signals real concern.
• Is everything okay? , “Is everything okay?” This is a bit more personal, it shows you noticed something is wrong.
• You seem a bit down. Want to talk about it? , “You seem a bit down. Want to talk about it?” This clearly signals care and attention.

Body language matters too. If someone stops, keeps eye contact, and waits for your answer, it is not a ritual greeting. If they say it while walking away in a hurry, it is.

Practice with real English content

You can best observe English “how are you” questions and answers in real native content: natural speed, authentic intonation, and embedded in context. Textbooks usually teach the ritual “How are you?, Fine, thanks!" exchange, but real English has a much richer set.

On the best movies to learn English, you will find suggestions for British and American films and series where everyday dialogue, including greeting rituals, appears in an authentic way. In British series you may hear “Alright?" and “How are you keeping?", and in American ones “What's up?" and “How's it going?" are more common.

On the Wordy English learning page, you can watch films and series with interactive subtitles. Click any expression and you instantly see pronunciation, meaning, and cultural context. This way you do not learn abstract rules, you pick up the full range of “how are you” expressions inside real conversations, with authentic intonation and body language.