8 Alternatives to How Are You

What’s up Advanced English Learners? Mary Daphne here. So, I have something important to ask you. How Are You? That’s right, how are you? Seriously though, how are you? Let me guess, you’re going to say fine thanks, and you?

Well, you’re wouldn’t be wrong in answering like that because the preferred or expected response to “How are you” is “fine thanks, and you.” But that’s just so dull and impersonal. 

There are so many more ways of asking “How are you” that will actually allow you to say more than “fine thanks, and you.” Different phraseology of “how are you” will invite some elaboration on how you’re doing, not to mention will add some personal flair and authenticity.

As you’ve probably sensed by now, the exchange “How are you? Fine thanks and you?” is robotic and stiff. You’ve got to give me something more than that or I’ll be bored to tears. 

Anyway, I do hope you’re doing well. I’m happy to see you here because today we’re talking about greetings, particularly eight alternatives to “How are You” that I think you’ll appreciate.

As you know there are many ways to say the same thing in English. And there’s nothing wrong with asking someone “How are you?” other than it is a bit boring and will always invite the same humdrum response of “fine thanks, and you.” Yawn. 

Everyone learns that formulaic language chunk in their English textbooks in the very first unit, but when you interact with Native English speakers, you’ll find that we have different ways of asking that same question.

So use these alternatives to bring to light more realness and nuance. Let’s get into it!

1. How’s it going?

You can use “how’s it going” when you are speaking casually to friends or even colleagues. It’s a way of asking how is life going, how their job is going, and how things are going in general. When the person answers, be ready to ask a follow-up question that is more specific. For example, they might respond with “It’s going well. We’ve been packing up the house and we’re getting ready to move.” And then you can follow up with “Oh, I didn’t realize you’re moving. Where are you off to?” and so on and so forth. So, “how's it going” acts as a great lead into more specific questions that can keep the conversation going.  

2. How’s work treating you?

This is great for when you’re talking to friends or acquaintances about work. Maybe you know that they love what they’re working on at the moment or that they have an exciting job that you’d like to hear more about. The point is, you’d save this question for someone who’s not a colleague for obvious reasons: if you are working with someone you know how work’s treating them because you’re most likely around them. 

3. What’ve you been up to?

What’ve you been up to? Is great to ask when you have not seen the person in a while. It’s great for catching up over coffee or lunch. If you know the person well then you can go into all the nooks and crannies of details. The typical response could be to discuss what’s been keeping you busy or excited. You could talk about your work, hobbies or any new projects. Keep in mind that this question could also be asked as “what’ve you been up to lately?” or “what’ve you been up to since I last saw you? 

4. Long time no see…

Similar to what’ve you been up to, you’ll ask this when some time has passed and you have not seen the person for some time. It’s as simple as, Hi Jane, long time no see… At which point Jane could respond with what’s been going on in her life or she might agree that it’s been a while since you last saw each other. It’s pointing out the fact that time has created some distance and you need to fill in the gaps of what’s been going on in each other’s lives. 

5. How’s the fam?

How’s the fam? This is pretty casual. It’s short for “how’s the family?” meaning your family. You might say this to a boss or a boss might say this to you. It’s typical to use this when you’ve met the person’s family and are inquiring after them and about their wellbeing.

6. How are you keeping yourself busy these days?

This could be with some friends or colleagues that you ask this question. It could be in reference to work, your side hustle, or any passion projects. When someone asks you this question you could also start talk about a new hobby. For example, “Well I’ve taken up knitting and am thinking about opening an Etsy shop to sell my Knitwear.”

7. What’s new with you?

“What’s new with you” implies that some time might gone by since you last saw the person. It’s a great opportunity to catch up and share any new developments in your life. Again, this is another way to fill in the gaps of your lives to each other. Perfect for catching up.

8. What brings you to (location)?

Ask this when you are pleasantly surprised to see someone at that location. It is unexpected to see them there so you’re asking in a nice way what they’re doing there. Maybe you are both at the same conference, fundraising gala or networking event. You bump into someone you know and you can ask them “what brings you to this networking event?” 

So there you have it, Advanced English learners! Eight different ways to ask “how are you.” If you really want to know how someone’s doing, you have so many ways to do that. If you want a quick “fine thanks and you” feel free to ask “How are you.”

Thanks for watching and remember to subscribe for more Advanced English lessons to improve your fluency, confidence, and clarity in English!

See you in the next lesson!

Bye for now 😊

About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive skills and professional development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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