{"id":601,"date":"2025-11-05T05:54:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T05:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/?p=601"},"modified":"2025-11-05T05:54:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T05:54:11","slug":"how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Answer \"How Are You?\" Like a Native English Speaker [Updated]"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#Option_1_%E2%80%9CHi_How_are_you%E2%80%9D\" >Option 1: \u201cHi. How are you?\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#Option_2_%E2%80%9CIm_Fine%E2%80%9D\" >Option 2: \u201cI\u2019m Fine.\u201d<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#%E2%80%9CIm_good_well%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;I\u2019m good \/ well.&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#%E2%80%9CIm_OK_alright%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;I\u2019m OK \/ alright.&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#%E2%80%9CIm_doing_well_OK_alright_fine%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;I\u2019m doing well \/ OK \/ alright \/ fine.&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#%E2%80%9CNot_too_bad%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Not (too) bad.&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#%E2%80%9CNot_too_shabby%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Not too shabby.&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#%E2%80%9CCant_complain%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Can\u2019t complain.&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#%E2%80%9CPretty_good%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Pretty good.&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#%E2%80%9CSame_old_same_old%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Same old, same old.&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#Option_3_Add_Some_Detail\" >Option 3: Add Some Detail<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#Add_a_little_detail_with_%E2%80%9Cjust%E2%80%9D\" >Add a little detail with \u201cjust\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#Add_a_negative_detail_with_a_positive_feeling\" >Add a negative detail with a positive feeling<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#Go_Start_a_Conversation\" >Go Start a Conversation!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>\u201cHow are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This simple question is the start of many English conversations, but it also confuses many English language learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know because our students often ask us about the best way to respond to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Actually, there\u2019s more than one way to answer this question. In this post, we\u2019ll share some popular responses to \u201cHow are you?\u201d as well as some options that are a bit more interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hi-how-are-you\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Option_1_%E2%80%9CHi_How_are_you%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Option 1: \u201cHi. How are you?\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025629\/how_are_you_respond_3-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Small wood blocks with letters on them stacked to spell out &quot;How are you&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-11808\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025629\/how_are_you_respond_3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025629\/how_are_you_respond_3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025629\/how_are_you_respond_3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025629\/how_are_you_respond_3-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025629\/how_are_you_respond_3-840x560.jpg 840w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of people reply to \u201cHow are you?\u201d by simply repeating the question: \u201cHi. How are you?\u201d Yes, this is normal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless you\u2019re talking to a friend, \u201cHow are you?\u201d is often just a way to greet someone, so think of it as a longer way to say \u201cHello.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is very similar to the way people use the more casual phrase \"<a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/whats-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What's up?<\/a>\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"im-fine\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Option_2_%E2%80%9CIm_Fine%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Option 2: \u201cI\u2019m Fine.\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your English courses weren\u2019t wrong when they taught you to respond with \u201cI\u2019m fine\"! Neutral expressions like this are some of the most popular responses to \u201cHow are you?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One thing to know is that it's common for people to respond with this phrase even if they're <em>not<\/em> fine. Again, if you're talking with a close friend, it's natural to tell them specifically how you're feeling \u2014&nbsp;either good or bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But for strangers and for most <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/5-easy-tips-for-making-small-talk-in-english\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">small talk<\/a>, \"I'm fine\" is a simpler and easier response that nearly always works, so it's a good one to remember!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are some more popular English phrases that are similar to \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\"I\u2019m good \/ well.\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\"I'm well\" sounds more formal than \"I'm good.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I\u2019m good, thanks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I\u2019m well. How are you?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\"I\u2019m OK \/ alright.\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you fall down, someone will probably ask you, \u201cAre you OK?\u201d or \u201cAre you alright?\u201d If you\u2019re not hurt, your response would be \u201cI\u2019m OK \/ alright.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\"I\u2019m doing well \/ OK \/ alright \/ fine.\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also use the phrase \u201cI\u2019m doing \u2026\u201d with an adverb to say how you are. This has a slightly more casual feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I'm doing alright. How are you?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I've been doing OK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CNot_too_bad%E2%80%9D\"><\/span><strong>&#8220;Not (too) bad.&#8221;<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1066\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/04040257\/TlxgiuBIGsJLNXEkZ42UxG7pkx8FEl35ifkDOjG_lfijFfrpKqd7q5YudNkFL46Z8uAg-ZFxGYxBtBNOczxaDONvRP4UMY27CNGQ6rG-TuCli4UdbBEWFp0OQm1CXaln5-E09bEd.jpg\" alt=\"A man with a &quot;not bad&quot; facial expression\" class=\"wp-image-12356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/04040257\/TlxgiuBIGsJLNXEkZ42UxG7pkx8FEl35ifkDOjG_lfijFfrpKqd7q5YudNkFL46Z8uAg-ZFxGYxBtBNOczxaDONvRP4UMY27CNGQ6rG-TuCli4UdbBEWFp0OQm1CXaln5-E09bEd.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/04040257\/TlxgiuBIGsJLNXEkZ42UxG7pkx8FEl35ifkDOjG_lfijFfrpKqd7q5YudNkFL46Z8uAg-ZFxGYxBtBNOczxaDONvRP4UMY27CNGQ6rG-TuCli4UdbBEWFp0OQm1CXaln5-E09bEd-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/04040257\/TlxgiuBIGsJLNXEkZ42UxG7pkx8FEl35ifkDOjG_lfijFfrpKqd7q5YudNkFL46Z8uAg-ZFxGYxBtBNOczxaDONvRP4UMY27CNGQ6rG-TuCli4UdbBEWFp0OQm1CXaln5-E09bEd-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/04040257\/TlxgiuBIGsJLNXEkZ42UxG7pkx8FEl35ifkDOjG_lfijFfrpKqd7q5YudNkFL46Z8uAg-ZFxGYxBtBNOczxaDONvRP4UMY27CNGQ6rG-TuCli4UdbBEWFp0OQm1CXaln5-E09bEd-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/04040257\/TlxgiuBIGsJLNXEkZ42UxG7pkx8FEl35ifkDOjG_lfijFfrpKqd7q5YudNkFL46Z8uAg-ZFxGYxBtBNOczxaDONvRP4UMY27CNGQ6rG-TuCli4UdbBEWFp0OQm1CXaln5-E09bEd-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/04040257\/TlxgiuBIGsJLNXEkZ42UxG7pkx8FEl35ifkDOjG_lfijFfrpKqd7q5YudNkFL46Z8uAg-ZFxGYxBtBNOczxaDONvRP4UMY27CNGQ6rG-TuCli4UdbBEWFp0OQm1CXaln5-E09bEd-840x560.jpg 840w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Another way to respond positively is to say that you\u2019re \u201cnot bad\u201d or \u201cnot too bad.\u201d It basically means \"Nothing is wrong.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CNot_too_shabby%E2%80%9D\"><\/span><strong>&#8220;Not too shabby.&#8221;<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a very casual way to say that you're OK. \"<a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/app\/words\/word\/shabby\/JS_Wxg_YEeifxC-lgL9omg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shabby<\/a>\" is an adjective that means \"in poor condition,\" so if you're <em>not<\/em> too shabby, you're doing well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li> Not too shabby. What about you?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\"Can\u2019t complain.\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An alternative to \"Not too bad\" is \u201cCan\u2019t complain\u201d (short for \"I can't complain.\") After all, if your life isn\u2019t too bad, you can\u2019t really complain about it! For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Not too bad. Can\u2019t complain. You?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can\u2019t complain. What\u2019s going on with you?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can\u2019t complain. Could always be worse! How about you?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CPretty_good%E2%80%9D\"><\/span><strong>&#8220;Pretty good.&#8221;<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPretty good\u201d is a response with a more positive nuance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pretty good. What about you?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pretty good, thanks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CSame_old_same_old%E2%80%9D\"><\/span><strong>&#8220;Same old, same old.&#8221;<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If your life has not changed much, it\u2019s the \u201csame old\u201d life. If asked \u201cHow are you?\u201d you could respond:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Same old, same old. You?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Oh, you know, same old same old. Still busy with work and <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-does-stuff-mean-and-how-do-you-use-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stuff<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"add-a-little-detail\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Option_3_Add_Some_Detail\"><\/span>Option 3: Add Some Detail<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025722\/how_are_you_respond_2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Two seated men talking with drinks\" class=\"wp-image-11810\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025722\/how_are_you_respond_2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025722\/how_are_you_respond_2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025722\/how_are_you_respond_2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025722\/how_are_you_respond_2-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025722\/how_are_you_respond_2-840x560.jpg 840w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Adding some detail to a neutral response is a good way to sound friendlier without making the conversation longer than necessary. Here are some ways to do that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Add_a_little_detail_with_%E2%80%9Cjust%E2%80%9D\"><\/span><strong>Add a little detail with \u201cjust\u201d<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can add some detail using the word \u201cjust.\u201d For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I\u2019m good. <em>Just<\/em> had a big lunch and feeling a little sleepy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I\u2019m alright, <em>just<\/em> kinda tired. What about you?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not too bad. <em>Just<\/em> having a chill day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These responses are all a bit casual, so they're not the best choices for <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/topic-focus-business-english-basics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">professional settings<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Add_a_negative_detail_with_a_positive_feeling\"><\/span><strong>Add a negative detail with a positive feeling<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s common to share bad news before good news in English, so if people share something negative, they will often add something positive at the end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I\u2019m alright. I\u2019ve been a little stressed recently, but I\u2019m hanging in there.*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not too bad. I\u2019ve had a cold for a week, but I\u2019m getting better!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>*\"Hang in there\" is a casual phrase that refers to getting through a difficult situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Go_Start_a_Conversation\"><\/span>Go Start a Conversation!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you know some common phrases to use at the start of an English conversation, it's time to practice what you've learned! Book a one-on-one lesson with an Engoo tutor and try using them naturally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Engoo lessons are just 25 minutes and our tutors are available 24 hours a day to help you. <a href=\"http:\/\/engoo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Give it a try<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cHow are you?\u201d This simple question is the start of many English conversations, but it also confuses many English language learners. We know because our students often ask us about the best way to respond...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":160,"featured_media":11807,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"unified_meta_tagline_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[58],"class_list":["post-601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language-tips","tag-other-ways-to-say"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Answer &#039;How are you?&#039; Like a Native English Speaker<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you struggling for the right response to \u201cHow are you?\u201d Here\u2019s a guide to the most popular responses to this classic start to English conversations.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Answer &#039;How are you?&#039; Like a Native English Speaker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Are you struggling for the right response to \u201cHow are you?\u201d Here\u2019s a guide to the most popular responses to this classic start to English conversations.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Engoo Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-05T05:54:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-05T05:54:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/30035334\/how_are_you_respond_caller_en.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Engoo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Engoo\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Engoo\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e9dfcd49dbf44f24a07101345514eec2\"},\"headline\":\"How to Answer \\\"How Are You?\\\" Like a Native English Speaker [Updated]\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-05T05:54:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-05T05:54:11+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/\"},\"wordCount\":816,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/29025528\/how_are_you_respond_1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"other ways to say\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Language Tips\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/how-to-answer-how-are-you-like-a-native-english-speaker\/\",\"name\":\"How to Answer 'How are you?' 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