Cool MateHow are you vs What are you vs What's up?
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
How are you
What are you
What's up?
| How are you | What are you | What's up? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //haʊ ɑː jʊ//🇺🇸 //haʊ ɑr ju// | 🇬🇧 //wɒt ɑː juː//🇺🇸 //wɑt ɑr ju// | 🇬🇧 //wɒts ʌp//🇺🇸 //wɑts ʌp// |
| Meaning | A way to ask someone about their well-being. | A common question asking about someone's identity or feelings. | A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening. |
| Example | When I saw my friend, I asked, 'How are you?' | When I saw him after a long time, I asked, 'What are you?' | When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?' |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | High-frequency chunk | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | ask how are you, respond to how are you, say how are you, greet with how are you, casually how are you | What are you doing, What are you thinking, What are you up to | What's up, buddy?, What's up, man?, What's up with that?, Hey, what's up?, So, what's up? |
| Common mistakes | Saying 'How do you?' instead of 'How are you?', Using it too formally in casual settings., Forgetting to wait for a response. | Often incorrectly structured as 'What you are?', Confused with 'Who are you?' which asks for identification., Misused in contexts where a more specific question is appropriate. | 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 in informal and formal conversations. More personal than just saying 'Hello.' Use with friends, family, or colleagues. | Used in casual conversation to inquire about someone's current emotional state or identity; not typically used in formal writing. | Used mainly in casual conversations among friends. It may not be appropriate in formal situations. |
Frequently asked questions: How are you vs What are you vs What's up?
What's the difference between How are you, What are you, and What's up??
How are you: A way to ask someone about their well-being. What are you: A common question asking about someone's identity or feelings. What's up?: A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening.
Which is more common: How are you, What are you, and What's up??
How are you is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
How are you: When I saw my friend, I asked, 'How are you?' What are you: When I saw him after a long time, I asked, 'What are you?' What's up?: When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?'
Can I use How are you, What are you, and What's up? interchangeably?
Not always. How are you, What are you, 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.