How to answer 'How Are You?'

 There are many different ways to answer the question "How are you" in my home country (the USA).

In China, there is only one way.  I hear it every day.

Every.

Single.

Day.

"I'm fine, thank you.  And you?"

It's like a robotic answer.  No emotion.

Boring.

Don't be a robot.  Give an honest answer.

Here are some different ways to answer "How are you?"

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Not bad.

A: "How are you?"

B: "Not bad."

This is a more friendly way to answer than just "I'm fine."

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Very well, thanks.

A: "How are you?"

B: "Very well, thanks."

This is more of an informal way to answer.  Thanks is the informal way to say thank you.

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Pretty good.

A: "How are you?"

B: "Pretty good."

A common and casual way to answer.  Maybe you're not doing amazing, but your pretty good.

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I'm great! How about you.

A: "How are you?"

B: "I'm great!  How about you?"

Maybe you are having a wonderful day.  Show it with this answer.  Instead of adding and you?, try the friendlier how about you?

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Hanging in there.

A: "How are you?"

B: "I'm hanging in."

The last two are for when you aren't having the best day.  I'm hanging in lets the person know that you aren't having a good day but you're doing your best to make it through.  Usually they will ask you "What's wrong?"  

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I've been better.

A: "How are you?"

B: "I've been better."

We've all had better days.  Some days are good, some are bad.  This answer is for those bad days.

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And there you have it!  Some new ways to answer the age-old question of "How are you?"  Try one of these out the next chance that you can!

Useful and new:

1. I'm hanging in: Doing your best on a bad day.

Ex: "It's been a hard day but I'm hanging in."

2. Robotic: like a robot.

Ex: "He couldn't give a more robotic answer."

3. Age-old: very old.  Traditional.

Ex: "And now for the age-old tradition of blowing out the birthday cake candles!"