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$ q6 f1 P" ]9 n3 b( \+ \How to respond to "How are you?", "What's up?", and other conversation starters
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0 r4 P& x0 o3 y" `5 q6 L; KThere are a few questions that English speakers ask at the beginning of a conversation. These questions are simple tools to find out if there are any interesting topics to discuss., t$ p& P8 s0 C3 E! J7 Q. D4 p' e+ V5 Q
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You've certainly heard these questions, but you might be confused about how to answer. Here's a list of common answers to the questions "How are you?", "How's it going?", "What's up?", and "What's happening?"
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How are you?
3 j. A5 e* Q: g3 W- S! U W& f# oFine.# G" ~, B: k+ S6 K2 L7 b3 O) A ~
0 Y/ r3 r' V1 T( m: G' S( lThis is a simple, straight answer. If you don't say anything else, though, it might be a signal that you don't want to continue the conversation.
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Not bad.
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4 L* Q$ c+ n2 |% {" QThis is a more friendly-sounding answer than "fine".
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* B' A0 y4 A$ @( @0 f6 bFine, thanks.2 q- U& E x5 U) P
7 [- ~, \: ?2 P. G& f7 gThis answer is formal. You might answer this way if someone you don't know, like a waiter at a restaurant, asks how you are.# |$ m( u! |" v' |' p. q
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Very well, thanks.
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5 I7 H: ?+ [. f0 p. v3 mA person who likes to be grammatically proper might answer this way. Technically, the question "How...?" should be answered with an adverb. However, a lot of English speakers don't know or care about this. The people who do are "by the books" types who insist on using grammatically correct language.
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Pretty good.
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) Q3 c% L2 v0 U' I; dIf you don't care as much about grammar, you can answer "Good" or "Pretty good". It's more common and much, much more casual.
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# s7 G8 x% G. GGreat! How are you doing?
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This is an enthusiastic, excited response. It's always good to ask a question back to the other person if you want to continue the conversation.
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I'm hanging in there./ E7 ]0 X7 R$ K
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This answer makes it sound like you're having a tough day.
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1 j8 D; r( e" x/ i8 C+ g- y EI've been better.0 I K2 _: m! g
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People usually give positive answers to the question "How are you?" If you give a negative answer like this one, it usually means that you want to tell the listener your sad story. So they'll usually ask what's wrong:
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A: How are you? |$ f, b. Y5 C) ?- r" d* C
1 L' O4 J# R1 l) EB: I've been better.
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) W/ |! X1 Y1 S' Z h; z, qA: What's wrong?
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B: I just found out that I'm being laid off.
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How's it going?- a" N8 I1 j# ?/ B
This question is similar to "How are you". The answers discussed above all work for "How's it going?" as well.; }- w d9 d( E' z$ m5 [4 |
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Here's another answer that will also work for "How's it going", but not for "How are you?"
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7 {) B9 @$ I6 LIt's going well. ) B8 X0 `+ E$ c2 B
- ]* X2 y/ K [3 w8 h* O [# [: N( ZThis is a friendly, polite answer that's suitable for coworkers, clients, and acquaintances that you haven't seen in a while.
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What's up?- s n }2 @2 y4 X: O
This question means "What's happening in your life?" But you don't have to answer honestly. If you don't want to start a long conversation, you can use one of these standard replies:
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2 F5 ^% E% Y0 cNothing much.5 B) K l1 V3 P( h# ]
' ?$ n+ v& G/ qThis is the most common answer. You can follow it by sharing something interesting that's happening: "Nothing much. Just getting ready for Vanessa's graduation."" _# w% E! [1 a x" w# F+ B
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Not a lot.
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' Q( c: ^& Z2 w0 ?( f$ s5 M+ m% Z6 UThis is another really common answer. It's just a bit fresher than "Nothing much" because it's a little less common.
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5 D& o( }4 ]. @ S" PNothing.2 B4 W$ @" M% u; ^3 Z
2 q: a3 D$ }* dThis is more to-the-point. It might make you seem a little angry or rude.
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3 y2 Q& u' q2 z+ B+ y& kOh, just the usual.
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Answer this way if you do mostly the same things each day.
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7 z$ N. G& G. H; \: TJust the same old same old.
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This phrase means that you're doing the same things every day, and you're a little bored of it.* W! H$ x$ t. F
( x0 w$ z- b! W/ m5 qOh gosh, all kinds of stuff!: P. t( z3 i% u( k
3 ]3 v& a' z% n# [: wYou can answer this way if your life has been really busy and exciting lately.
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What's happening?3 v# d$ Q9 k( C ~4 \* W5 M, D. m, s
This question means the same thing as "What's up" and can be answered in the same way.1 ?$ f# f8 P! F% ?4 U
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