Good to see you. / It’s been ages! (since I’ve seen you.) / Where have you been hiding? / What have you been up to? Each of these conveys a different tone, and the results can vary. And using the wrong phrase could come off as awkward—or even insensitive in extreme circumstances. So it pays to know when they work, but especially when they don’t. When is it appropriate to use variations of “How are you?”

In an effort to be friendly and polite, it’s not uncommon for an English speaker to casually greet a friend, a neighbor, an acquaintance, or even a stranger with a greeting such as

Some people pronounce “What are you up to?” as “Whatcha up to?” Group 3 Responses Not much. / Not much, how about you? Because I’m an American and I currently live in the U.S., I’ll focus on greetings used in the United States. Similar to asking “how’s it going,” these questions will often be used after a hi or hello as a polite greeting. Why it works: It’s polite, shows interest in their general well-being, and gets to the point (there’s a lot you don’t know, and you want the highlights).

How’s it going? This is casual. You’re asking how a person’s life has been lately, in a more general sense. Let’s start with casual greetings to use most of the time, whether you’re greeting a friend, a coworker on the elevator, a neighbor you’ve never spoken to, or a complete stranger on an early morning walk. Who are ya?” seems a popular chant or taunt with English football fans, both on and off the stands. Is it a fair assessment that it means to diminish the opposition as unknown and insignificant? While not as common as hi or hey, you may occasionally hear “yo.” It is typically only used with individuals who know each other well and is more common Follow-ups like this are a great way to start conversations. Unlike a typical “How are you?” they show that you’ve been paying attention to the other person’s activities. And, more than likely, the person will be happy to start a conversation about their work or opinions once you’ve expressed interest. 4The Chelsea player, Didier Drogba, misses a clear chance of scoring a goal and falls over badly, clutching his knee in agony. A rhetorical question, generally in the form of an insulting chant, accompanied by finger-pointing; meant as abuse to a single person or team performing in front of a crowd, by indicating that they are unknown and insignificant. How are you? This is polite, but it’s not necessarily a serious inquiry about the other person’s well-being. This is a subtle way to recognize that the recipient may have things going on in life or at work that could affect them. Because it’s phrased as a statement rather than a question, it allows the other person to skip the specifics if they don’t want to share personal details. 5 All right. I’ve been working a lot lately. How about you?” English Greetings: Group 3 What’s up? / What’s new? / What are you up to?*

If you’re not sure what to say, I recommend listening to others around you, particularly those who consistently speak with politeness, kindness, and warmth. Which greetings to they typically use? What information you want to know (for example, do you see it as a passing conversation, or do you want a more in-depth dialogue with specific details?)These are common greetings when you have not seen someone you know for some time and often follow a hi or hey .