Cool MateHow are you doing vs What's up?
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
How are you doing
Top 1,000 (very common)
What's up?
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Most formal: How are you doingMost common: How are you doing
| How are you doing | What's up? | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //haʊ ɑː jʊ ˈduːɪŋ//🇺🇸 //haʊ ɑr ju ˈduɪŋ// | 🇬🇧 //wɒts ʌp//🇺🇸 //wɑts ʌp// |
| Meaning | A way to ask someone how they are. | A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening. |
| Example | Hi! How are you doing today? | When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?' |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | how are you doing today?, how are you doing lately?, how are you doing there? | What's up, buddy?, What's up, man?, What's up with that?, Hey, what's up?, So, what's up? |
| Antonyms | I am doing badly, I am not well, I am feeling terrible | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'how are you doing' in a formal email., Confusing with 'how do you do' as a greeting., 'Doing' can be omitted, leading to 'how are you?' which is also correct. | Using it in a formal meeting where a respectful greeting is expected., Misunderstanding it as a question requiring a detailed answer., Not responding appropriately with a casual reply. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used as a friendly greeting; appropriate in most contexts. Avoid in very formal situations. | Used mainly in casual conversations among friends. It may not be appropriate in formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: How are you doing vs What's up?
What's the difference between How are you doing and What's up??
How are you doing: A way to ask someone how they are. What's up?: A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening.
Which is more formal: How are you doing and What's up??
How are you doing is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: How are you doing and What's up??
How are you doing is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
How are you doing: Hi! How are you doing today? What's up?: When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?'
Can I use How are you doing and What's up? interchangeably?
Not always. How are you doing and What's up? are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.