Go Beyond “How are you?”
When learning English, many students fall back on the same exchange:
A: How are you?
B: Fine, thank you. And you?
That’s correct, but it can sound a bit repetitive — and native speakers often use other expressions in everyday conversation. Here are some great alternatives you can try.
Asking “How are you?” in different ways
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How are you doing?
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How are things?
A bit more informal:
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What’s new?
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How’s it going?
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How’s life?
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What’s up?
Replying in different ways
Remember: in English it’s polite to say “thanks” / “thank you” / “thanks for asking” and to ask back.
For example:
“Great, thanks! How about you?”
Neutral/polite:
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Great
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Not so bad
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All right
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So-so
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Informal/friendly (often with humour):
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Never better!
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On top of the world!
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Can’t complain / Mustn’t grumble (very British!)
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Surviving
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🗣️ In action
A: How are things?
B: Not so bad, thanks. How about you?
________________________________________________________
A: What’s new?
B: Nothing much, thanks for asking! And you?
👉 Which one is your favourite?
Try it out in your next English class — and notice how native speakers react when you go beyond “Fine, thanks”!
👉 Cultural tip – “Can’t complain” or “Mustn’t grumble” are quite British-sounding.
Thanks for reading! 