Say one or two positive words, thank them for asking, and ask them the same question. Any of these answers will work almost all of the time:. If you are in a business situation, you might be saying hello to your boss or colleague, or meeting someone for the first time. You need to answer briefly, but in a positive way. They will tell the other person that you are enthusiastic and ready to work. You might be shaking hands, too. Your friends will probably ask you the very same question, but It might sound a little different! You might hear:. If you are talking to a friend, you can offer more information if they ask and if they are your friend, they probably will! Now, what if you hear a different question?

Informal Variations of “How Are You?”

A quick & positive answer
But be careful! Or well, or good. Sometimes you want to say that things are just … OK. For more useful English phrases you can use right away, check out 28 Phrases to Feel Comfortable in English Conversations. Sad but true :. Thanks a lot for this article! When is it correct to use it as a response? Thanks for the explanation, Gabriel! Yes, definitely.
How to answer “How are you?”
How are you today? If these answers were said by native English speakers in everyday situations, there might be some interesting reactions. Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. Of course, you can use these with anyone you speak to, even family and close friends. So, when one of these people an acquaintance or a stranger asks how you are, what should you respond? Here are some common answers and what they mean:. Be careful, though! The tone you use when you say this word makes a difference. Sally: Oh, sorry.
But what do we really know about this ubiquitous phrase? How are you? How are you doing?